


Manhattan From The Sky

by sincewewereeighteen



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Always, American AU, Bottom Harry, CEO Harry, Fluff, Hand Jobs, Happy Ending, Kids, Kinda, Light Angst, Love, M/M, New York, Spanking, Top Louis, a little bit of a pain kink, assistant louis, but his kids are perfect, harry's a cupcake, louis' ex is kind of an asshole, money issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 04:14:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 47,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9106234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sincewewereeighteen/pseuds/sincewewereeighteen
Summary: Harry's been raised to know that successful men do not fall in love. Louis believes that love is all you need to be successful in life. They meet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PiinkLemonade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PiinkLemonade/gifts).



> Hi, there! After all the angst we went through with [A Love Like War](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7248772/chapters/16458349), I felt like we all deserved some fluff! So here it is.
> 
> MFTS won't be a huge fic, and I'll be updating it every week if my internet helps me. (It sucks.)
> 
>  
> 
> I really hope you enjoy it!

                                               

 

 

            Harry’s in his third cup of coffee and it’s still eleven thirty am.

            It doesn’t matter how much he tries, how many nights he tosses and turns in his too big of a bed in that too big of an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, he still can’t understand how he wound up here, with a dead father and a company he never wanted in the first place in his hands, at the age of twenty five.

            It’s a beautiful day for a winter, Harry thinks. The snow has gone, mostly, and February is a promising month, even though this week has proven to be the most stressful week of his entire life – and when he says that he _is_ counting the week he was in Australia and got a phone call saying that his father had had a heart attack and passed away. It’s only been one month, but it feels like a lifetime has passed since then.

           

            Harry and his father were very close up until Harry was thirteen. But then he and his mother got divorced, because, of all things, they disagreed on one important matter: Harry. So this is how he is, better, this is _who_ he is: a product of a divorce; a clichéd child that has always struggled to be what both his parents wanted him to be, without ever figuring out what he wanted for himself. Well, now he hasn’t got much of a choice.

           

            He is so distracted that he doesn’t even notice when a little girl enters the office kitchen, but he feels a little hand tugging on his trousers and looks down to find the most adorable kid he’s ever seen.

            “Excuse me, sir.” She calls, demanding attention. She’s got piercing blue eyes and caramel hair, and Harry thinks she’s gorgeous. “Can help me find my dad?”

            “Hi”, Harry smiles and gets down on his knees, trying to level with her. “I can, sure. What is your name?”

            “Amanda. Dad calls me Mandy, but I think he is going to call me _Amanda_ when we find him.”

            “Why’s that?” Harry frowns.

            “He gets very angry when he loses me.” She tells as if it’s a secret.

            “Does he lose you often?” Harry asks with a humored expression. Whoever her dad is, he must be losing his mind right now.

            “No.” She furrows her little eyebrows. “Just when I run. I usually find my way back, but this place is very big.”

            “It is…” He agrees with her. Harry himself still gets lost. “Let’s get you back to him then, shall we?” He smiles and gets up, holding out a hand for her to hold. “What’s your dad’s name?” He asks as they walk towards the elevators.

            “Louis Tomlinson”, she tells him proudly and- _yeah_ , Harry was not expecting that.

 

            Louis Tomlinson is probably Harry’s most ridiculous crush ever.

            He is also his assistant now, because he was Harry’s father’s assistant, since he moved the company from Chicago to New York three years ago.

            When Harry took over mid-January, against his will, let it be very clear, and with zero experience, Louis was the only one that was at least amicable to him. Louis sat with him and showed him all of his father’s schedules and how he generally handled things around here, and when he thought Harry got a hang of things, he left the room wishing Harry good luck and sat at his own desk, from where he’s been being Harry’s guardian angel since then.

            But the thing is: Louis is _stunning_. Harry should’ve recognized him in Mandy, because she has his eyes, after all, and same hair color and she even _sounds_ like him now that Harry pays attention to her sassiness. Also… Louis has a _child_ , which means he’s very much committed, and that makes Harry’s crush all the _more_ ridiculous.

            He shakes his head and laughs to himself, Mandy pays him no mind and keeps talking about how happy she is for not going to school today. Harry also thinks she is way articulated for someone who looks around four years old.

 

            “… I need to find your sister. Do you think you can stay here by yourself, love?” They enter the room while Louis talks to another boy.

            “She’s there, dad!” The little one points over Louis’ shoulder and Louis looks back.

            “Oh, _thank God._ Amanda Rylee Tomlinson, I swear to God I am going to _murder_ you!” Louis gets up and walks towards them.

            Harry does his very best not to laugh when Mandy whispers _told you he was going to call me Amanda_.

            “Hi, dad!” She waves.

            “What the hell did you think you were doing, young lady?” He asks and pulls her in for a hug. “You almost scared me to death.”

            “It’s a secure building, Lou, nothing would’ve happened”, it slips Harry’s mouth before he can help himself. When did he _ever_ call Louis _Lou_? Must be his caffeine high. “Louis”, he clears his throat. “Hm, sorry. She found me in the kitchen and asked for help. Smart girl you’ve got there.”

            “ _Smart_ is one word for it”, Louis sighs. “Thanks for bringing her to me; I hope she didn’t disturb you.”

            “No, not at all, was just getting some coffee, was in a meeting all morning.”

            “I know”, Louis offers with that _I’m sorry this is being so difficult for you_ smile he gives Harry whenever he sees he’s stressed. “Mandy, go sit with your brother for a second and _do not move_ ”, he orders and she goes without saying anything, just sitting on the reception couch by her brother’s side.

            “How old are they?”

            “Four and a half.”

            “They’re twins?” Harry’s eyes widen.

            He expected them to be around the same age, but- _wow_ , twins.

            “Yeah”, he chuckles. “Look, Harry, I am so sorry for this. Nate’s sick and mom’s on a shift, so she couldn’t stay with him and he couldn’t go to school like this, you know? I think it’s this weather, and I didn’t want to miss work, because there were lots of paperwork to do and slides to revise for you and Mandy didn’t want to go to school by herself, and she was throwing a fit at seven in the morning, so I thought about bringing them in and- well, she can’t sit still for thirty minutes, I swear I don’t know why and I should’ve told you, but you got in already late for the meeting and I-”

            “Louis, breathe!” Harry stops him. “For fuck’s sake, just breathe, you’re tiring _me_ out.”

            “Sorry.”

            “And stop apologizing.”

            “So-”, he stops himself. Harry’s endeared.

            “It’s fine. It’s _all_ fine. Just- call in the next time, yeah? Your children are more important than my stupid PowerPoint presentations…” He says with a light chuckle.

            “They’re not stupid”, Louis says and Harry can see how much effort he puts into not rolling his eyes. “Thank you”, he takes a deep breath. “Mom usually changes her shifts at work for them, it was just really sudden and she was already at the hospital.”

            “Again, _no_ problem. Mandy and I became friends, right, Mandy?” Harry asks her and she looks up immediately, beaming at him.

            “Yes, we did. Come meet Nate, Hazz!” She calls.       

            “Mandy, his name is _Harry_.”

            “But he said I can call him Hazz.”

            “She can”, Harry corroborates with her and now Louis rolls his eyes, but he pretends he doesn’t see it as he moves close to the kids.

            This is the top floor of the building, which means there are only three rooms here: the conference room, where Harry’s nightmares have been currently happening, the VP’s room, a very scary woman who thank God is never around, because she’s been representing the company in Europe for the past few years and only comes in for important meetings (i.e: Harry taking over), and Harry’s office, so there _is_ some kind of privacy.

            Harry truly doesn’t mind the kids here. In fact, he’s been dreading answering emails from the stores for forever now, and both Amanda and Nathan give him an excuse to only do it after lunch. Louis mutters something about his kids already having his boss wrapped around their fingers and goes back to his desk, concentrating on whatever is in his computer.

 

            Nate starts coughing and Harry gets up to get him some water, telling Louis not to worry, and when he comes back is to Mandy complaining about being hungry.

            “Baby, I need to finish this before we go to lunch.” Louis explains to her.

            “But _daddy_ …” She pouts.

            “You done whining?” He asks and raises his eyebrow in an unimpressed expression. Amanda stops pouting right away. And Harry feels creepy and weird by being so turned on by the way Louis handles his kids.

 

            “So, who wants to go out for lunch?” Harry asks clasping his hands after he carefully places Nate’s water in his small hands.

            Amanda raises both of hers right away.

            “Harry. I’m finishing up here and I’ll go with them.” Is all Louis says.

            “Course you will.” Harry patiently smiles at him. “You’re invited too.”

            “You- you _really_ don’t have to.”

            “What? Invite you and your kids for lunch? I know. But I want to. It’s not every day that I get to be around four year olds and I absolutely _love_ children, so”, he shrugs.

            “You do?” Louis asks. There’s almost… Wonder in his voice.

            “I do. C’mon, finish whatever you have to and let’s go grab something to eat.” Harry tells him and Louis looks a bit bothered. “What?”

            “You’re- different than your dad was, is all.”

            “Is that bad thing?” Harry asks.

            “No.” Louis replies simply. “I don’t think so, no.” Harry is glad then.

 

            When they get out of the building they’re welcomed by a harsh wind and really, it’s fucking freezing. Louis has Nate in his arms, because the boy is feeling really poorly and Harry holds Mandy’s hand so they can cross the street in order to get to the restaurant on the other side.

            Louis wrinkles his nose at the place but doesn’t say anything, and Harry doesn’t ask, because he isn’t one for pushing people. They sit at a table on the corner and only then Nathan stops quivering, but doesn’t leave Louis’ lap.

            Louis orders chicken sandwiches for the kids and a _Caesar salad_ for himself, so Harry just follows suit and asks the same as Louis.

            “Dad, it’s gonna hurt to swallow”, Nathan voices worriedly.

            “You can have really small bites, yeah?” Louis talks to him. “But you need to get something inside, Nate.”

            “I try.” He says. “ _I’ll_ try”, he then corrects himself.

            Harry appreciates a good grammar when he sees one, and for soon to be fiver year olds, Louis’ kids speak perfectly. He really is impressed.

            As their food arrives and they start eating, the conversation actually picks up. They tell Harry about their school and their friends and both of them are really into Spider Man, though _that’s_ _all because dad_ , they voice almost in unison.

            Harry learns that Mandy’s favorite princess is Cinderella, because her dress is the _prettiest_ , but if she had to choose a Disney character, she would like to be Mulan – “she’s a fighter, just like dad, and I want to be one too”. Louis’ eyes fill with tears, so he coughs and looks away, sipping from his water.

            He also learns that she loves her hair long, but it’s terrible to brush in the mornings, makes them late sometimes. In the summer, Louis always keeps it in a bun or a braid. Nate interjects and says that he likes long hairs too, and that Harry’s is the _coolest_.

            “Why don’t you let yours grow, then?” Harry asks him.

            “Can I, dad?” Nate turns to Louis.

            “Of course you can”, he smiles. “You never said you wanted to.”

            “Will it be curly like Harry’s?” He asks.

            “I don’t know, Nate, we have to wait and see. Mine and your sister’s are _really_ straight, so... Probably not.”

            “You can try”, Harry gives his input. “If you don’t like it you can always get it cut, right?”

            “Yesssh!” He fist-bumps the air and Harry giggles. He can’t believe he’s a grown man and that he is giggling, but _hey_ , Harry is very, very soft for kids. And has been weak for Louis since the day they met. Right now he is with Louis _and_ Louis’s kids. Of course he is a giggling mess.

 

            He can’t help but notice that throughout the entire time they don’t mention _mom_. Or another dad. Or no one really, apart from Louis’ mother and _auntie_ Lottie. Harry also doesn’t see a ring on Louis’ finger and _yes_ , he admits he stares at his hands for longer than it’s socially acceptable. He wants to ask, but it’s not the time or place. Harry refrains from it.

            The most beautiful thing here, Harry thinks, is the way Louis talks and looks at his children. He’s demanding and obviously an authority figure to them, but he’s also soft when it’s needed, his eyes are brighter whenever they’re talking to him and about him, and they’re clearly the best of friends. Harry kind of wishes he had had a brother or a sister in life. It got pretty lonely after a while.

           

            “What d’you think, Harry?” Louis pulls him out of his thoughts when he asks.

            “Sorry- hm, what do I think about what?”

            “Heading back to the office.”

            “I think I will. But _you_ are going back home with your kids.”

            “But I-”

            “It’s your day off and it’s an order. See you when I see you. Bye.” Harry says and asks for the check. Louis grabs his wallet and takes out his card. “It’s on me. I said bye.”

            “You’re most definitely not paying for mine and my kids’ lunch.”

            This place is expensive. Harry would have never entered it if he didn’t have every intention to pay for everyone. Money is, thankfully, not a problem for him.

            “Let’s not do this, yeah?” Harry just sighs. “I got it, Louis”, he says and hands his credit card to the awaiting lady by their table.

            “You’re totally discounting this from my salary”, he tells Harry pointedly and gets up, helping Mandy put on her coat.

            “Sure”, Harry fakes seriousness.

            “This is not funny.” Louis replies. “But you’re my boss, and because of that and because I am in front of my children, I will not argue with you. But this isn’t okay, Harry.” He warns him. “ _Babies_ , say bye to Harry then”, he changes his tone and talks to the kids, who promptly smile up at him.

            Harry doesn’t even have time to apologize or- he doesn’t really know, because Mandy wraps her arms around his leg and he picks her up, hugging her and receiving a cold kiss on his cheek.

            “I loved you, Harry!” She says.

            “I loved you too, little girl”, he smiles back.

            Love is too strong of a word, but this is how four year olds are: they make best friends in one day. Reason number 876 Harry would trade adults for children in the blink of an eye.

            “Come visit me?” He asks.

            “I’ll ask dad!”

            “Okay, please do.” He puts her on the floor and then picks Nate, who hugs him tightly. “You get better, uhn?”

            “Yes. I want to go to school help Max fight monsters.”

            “You don’t think Max can hold the fort without you?” Harry questions already knowing the answer.

            “Of course not, Hazz”, the boy rolls his blue, blue eyes.

            “Of course not”, he agrees with him. “Take care, ok?”

            “Okay. Thank you for lunch.” He beams and Harry kisses the top of his head, handing him to Louis who is already waiting with open arms.

            “I’ll- I’ll hail a cab home then”, Louis says. “Thank you for lunch, Harry. See you tomorrow. Your skype conference is at nine.”

            “You don’t have to come if he’s still feverish…”

            “Mom will stay with him tomorrow, I’ll be there.”

            “Okay, Louis”, Harry replies kind of tired. “See you tomorrow then.”

            “Will we see you again, Hazz?” Nathan asks him from outside the restaurant.

            “I hope so, Nate”, he smiles back. _I really hope so_.

 

-

 

            Louis isn’t freaking out because grown men with children don’t freak out over hot bosses. However, after the first time he has lunch with Harry, it is very difficult for him to ignore how nice and gorgeous and just _stupidly amazing_ Harry is.

            Louis liked Des – his old boss, Harry’s father. He truly did; the man gave him a good job even though Louis hadn’t finished college yet and paid him a good salary, so there wasn’t much to complain. That was just it, though, _work_. Louis had a few days off around Christmas and New Year’s holidays and a week off during summer, and he never complained. Des was a good boss, but Louis never talked to him unless it was about work.

            But Harry, _no_ , bloody Harry shows up on Friday carrying a bowl of soup, telling Louis that it’s his mother’s recipe and will get Nate back on his feet in no time.

            “You made soup for my son?” Louis asks just to be sure.

            “He might’ve confessed to me that you can’t cook for shit”, Harry hands him the soup.

            “I really hope my son didn’t say _for shit_ , but-”

            “He didn’t”, Harry assures him.

            “Good. And _thank you_ , Harry, you really didn’t-”

            “Have to, I know”, his boss says. “It’s probably also an apology for yesterday. I was just trying to be nice, but you got really upset and- hm, I’m sorry, I guess.”

            Louis knows he acted kind of prick-ish the day before, but he has his reasons. Money is something that Louis doesn’t deal very well with or, actually, _lack_ of money isn’t.

            He knows Harry is filthy rich – he’s the current CEO of a worldwide cosmetics company –, but the idea of someone else paying for his and his children’s things is something Louis has a hard time wrapping his mind around, especially after… Yeah. Especially _after_.

            “It’s okay, Harry, really.” Louis voices with a bit of a delay. “Thank you for worrying. They talked about you all the way home”, he smiles.

            “They’re lovely kids, Louis. You’ve done an amazing job with them.”

            Louis does not blush. He doesn’t.

            “Uhn, yeah, they are”, he agrees. “So, ready for the conference?” He changes the topic.

            “As ready as never”, Harry jokes. It’s the first time Louis sees a crack in his confidence, and he starts to think that maybe Harry Styles has more to him than what meets the eyes.

 

            Nathan does get better with the soup, and on Monday Louis arrives at work with a drawing that his four and a half year old made to his boss. But it’s fine, everything is fine. Harry isn’t even in the office today, because he needed to visit a store on the other side of the town, so Louis leaves it on his table with a note saying _Nathan’s thank you_ and after that he is very alone on the floor, going downstairs every now and then to socialize with people.

            Amanda and Nathan have literally spent the entire weekend speaking about Harry and how nice he is and _he is so pretty, grandma, I swear!_ Amanda told Jay, who only looked pointedly at Louis as if she wanted to give him some kind of warning but didn’t. In retrospect, Louis kind of wishes she had.

            Because now here he is, sitting on his chair, at his desk, booking Harry’s next flight to freaking Tokyo and thinking that his daughter is very much right: Harry _is_ pretty. And this isn’t something that Louis can be thinking, you see, because Harry is very much unattainable and Louis is very much unavailable anyways.

           

            The next two weeks are dull, to say the least.

            Louis goes about life like he always does: he works, grocery-shops, takes his kids to the dentist and plays with them as much as he can. He fights with Aaron – his _ex_ – when he doesn’t show up to see Mandy and Nathan like he _promised_ , but there is no news there, really.      

            He complains about it to the only people who will listen and know the full story, which sums up to his mother and Stan. He apologizes to his own children and holds back his tears till they’re sleeping. And then he goes back to work, ready for a brand new week like nothing ever happened.

           

            On Tuesday Louis takes the morning off to attend his children’s parents’ meeting and when he gets back to the office, he’s faced with a bunch of people in the conference room and a scared Harry Styles pacing in circles like there’s a war about to happen.

            Louis knocks lightly on his door before opening it completely and stepping inside. Harry looks like he’s going to burst.

            “Oh, thank God!” His boss says as soon as he sees Louis.

            “Are you okay?” He frowns.

            “Yes. _No_. I _don’t_ know. Ask me something I know, just _one_ thing, Louis, ask me something I _will_ _know_ the answer!” He pleads.

            “What’s your favorite color?”

            It’s the first thing that comes to Louis’ mind.

            “Blue. Next?”

            “I-” _shit, Louis, think,_ “favorite childhood memory?”

            “Taking care of our garden in the Hamptons with my mom.” He answers promptly.

            “Worst hangover ever?”

            “Freshmen year at UCLA. A frat party.” Louis certainly does not picture Harry Styles as a frat boy because it would be filthy and sinful and he just- _can’t_.

            “You feeling better now?” He tries.

            “A bit.” Harry nods.

            “Ok. So breathe, Harry.” He approaches him, hands in his pockets not to touch the curly haired man. “What are all those people doing in the conference room?”

            “Waiting for my briefing, I suppose.” Harry tells Louis. “But I- I kind of forgot to prepare something and now I’ve got nothing to tell them.”

            “Of course you do, Harry. How many cities have you visited in the past couple of weeks?” He doesn’t wait for his answer. “ _Four_. You gathered enough information from buyers and current stores and that’s what you’ve gotta tell them.”

            “I don’t know the exact numbers. My dad would.”

            “He would”, Louis agrees. “But you can give them an estimative, can’t you?” Harry nods. “That’s enough for now. You tell them that you’re trying something different, that you don’t want them to be moved by numbers. Tell them what you saw and what you need them to do better and only when they _do_ better, say, three months from now, in the next briefing meeting, you’ll give them numbers so they can see how much the company improved, how much _they_ improved.”

            Harry’s mouth goes slack.

            “You’re a genius.” He tells Louis.

            Louis laughs.

            “I’m not, just been ‘round here longer than you.” He assures his boss, who actually looks quite like a puppy at the moment. Or a kitten. Or any other cute, small animal. “Go get them and I’ll call someone and have them set up a coffee break in an hour or so.”

            “Okay”, Harry takes a deep breath, “okay. How- how can I _thank you_ , Louis?”

            Louis nods and feels his cheeks warm up a bit and he feels very stupid that he’s blushing right now.

            “I’m just doing my job, Harry.” He smiles.

            “I’m pretty sure _dealing with a freaked out boss_ isn’t in your job description”, the curly haired replies. “But I digress. Wish me luck?”

            “Good luck. But you don’t need it. Just go with your gut.”

            They exit the room together. Louis goes straight to the elevators to try and get in touch with a bakery that can be here in little to no time and Harry walks towards the conference room.

            Before entering the elevator, Louis can see the exact moment Harry shifts from really young and nervous to someone who is sure of himself and enters the conference room with a huge smile on his face.

            For the first time, it crosses Louis mind that he likes knowing both Harrys. He lets the thought escape and keeps on doing his work.

           

            It’s a long day.

            Briefing meetings are usually stressful, because everyone is on their toes, and Louis knows it because Des always made them feel really scared.

            In one of the meetings he got to seat, Louis remembers his old boss saying that if he weren’t satisfied with what he’d seen in other places, it was because people here at the headquarters weren’t working hard enough, so everyone was always a bit scared.

            When they exit the room today, though, the heads of departments have got smiles on their faces and Louis sees two of them staying behind and talking to Harry like they’re still brainstorming. Louis feels proud.

            He texts his mom to see if the kids are okay with her picking them up and she says that _yes, of course, stop worrying_.

            It’s just- hard, for Louis to stop worrying, that is. He knows that he needs to hire a nanny, because he can’t keep relying on his mom and Stan to do _his_ job anymore, it’s just that he doesn’t exactly have the money to pay for even a part time nanny, not when he needs to pay for rent and food and school and- yeah. It’s just hard.

 

            Louis sighs and finishes for the day. He turns his computer off and places colorful post-its on its screen to remember what he needs to do tomorrow. He knocks on Harry’s door to let his boss know that he is going and is met with a very tired-looking Harry Styles, loose tie and no blazer on. Louis thinks he looks _hot_ , but Jesus, he needs to stop having these thoughts.

            “Hey, Harry”, he calls him softly and Harry looks up from his desk.

            “Hi, Louis”, he opens a smile. His face changes immediately.

            “Just want to let you know I’m lea- is that…” He squints his eyes and points at Harry’s wall. “Is that Nathan’s drawing?” He asks, because it can’t be.

            Except that he knows it is.

            “Of course”, he perks up, an even happier tone to his voice. “It’s not every day that I get a gift like that. Now you tell Mandy I need one too!” Harry smiles.

            Louis cannot believe him.

            “Will do”, he answers. “Uhn, I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving.”

            It takes a while for Harry to answer, and then he kind of catches up to it.

            “Oh. Yeah. Sure.” Harry says. “It’s past your time anyway, I’m sorry.”

            “No problem, just really need a shower.”

            “Was hoping you’d say you need a drink, ‘cause I could use some company”, Harry confesses.

            “I could too”, Louis sighs. “Just- I can’t. The kids and all.”

            “Of course, I understand.” Harry’s smile doesn’t falter. “I’ll walk with you, I need to get out of here too before I lose my mind.”

            Louis chuckles and waits around for Harry to organize his stuff. They make small conversation about the day and how great those muffins from earlier were. Louis tells Harry he’ll get him the number of the bakery and Harry replies saying that _no, thank you, I can bake my own muffins_.

            So that is how Louis learns one more endearing thing about his new boss: he likes to bake. And it’s very funny, really, because when Louis was told that Des Styles had passed away, the first thing that came to mind was _please, God, do not let Cheryl take over_.

            Cheryl is the VP of the company, and she’s always in Europe, anyways, but Louis hates that woman with a passion. Thankfully, there was a will. And there came Harry.

            Louis still remembers Harry’s first day, because it was a first day for everybody of sorts. He looked impeccable – as always – wearing a Hugo Boss suit and his curls were falling perfectly onto his shoulders. That day Louis only got a glimpse of confident Harry.

            Then the day ended, and on the days that followed Louis found himself sat with Harry every other afternoon explaining to him how things worked around here, since his father’s partners were, of course, giving him a hard time. Louis thinks they still are, if Harry’s tensed shoulders and dark circles around the eyes are anything to go by, but Harry seems to be handling them better in his second month. Or at least Louis hopes so.

 

            “What about Friday?” Harry asks then, once they reach the lobby.

            “Sorry?” Louis turns to him. _Was Harry saying anything before?_

            “Drinks, on Friday. You’d have time to organize your schedule”, Harry offers.

            And-- Louis _would_ , but… There’s always a _but_ , isn’t there?

            “As a thank you?” Harry continues. “You literally saved my ass earlier today, _and_ put together a great coffee-break _and_ I would be lost without you, so- please?”

            Louis wants to ask Harry if he would take anyone else for drinks if they helped him or if he is taking _Louis_ out for drinks because Louis is _Louis_ , but he doesn’t, because despite being this curious, there’s something about this whole- thing that is already an answer on its own, even if Louis doesn’t quite understand it right now.

            So he says _yes_ , _Friday is okay_ with a smile on his face, and watches Harry walk into his town car before heading to the train station, facing an hour-ride home.

 

-

 

            “Lottie, _please_!” He begs her on the phone on Thursday.

            “ _I’ve got plans, Louis, tomorrow is a Friday night and I have a boyfriend_ ”, it’s ridiculous how he can _hear_ his sister roll her yes. He was a bad influence during her childhood, it’s completely his fault.

            “You can go out on Saturday night, Charlotte, for fuck’s sake.” He knows she’ll do it.

            She’s probably just taking the piss, but Louis doesn’t want to take any risks, he wants her to understand that this is important to him and… Why the hell is this important to him? It is not like Harry will fire him if he says _look, boss, I’m sorry, but I can’t go out for drinks with you because I have kids at home_. Louis’ kids are not an excuse; they just always come first, period.

            Except for the fact that it _is_ important because Louis _wants_ to go, and Louis doesn’t get to want many things these days. Last time he went out for something that wasn’t a family gathering or one of his kid’s friend’s birthday parties was on Stan’s birthday, _last_ _October_ , when he got shitfaced and slept with a guy he wouldn’t recognize on the street if he passed by him now.

            It’s all fine, though, because Louis isn’t looking for anything, and if he’s being quite honest, since he became a father, Amanda and Nathan have always been enough for him. And they _are_. And if there were _no way_ for him to go out for drinks with Harry after-work, he would never resent his kids for it – not like Aaron used to the first few months they arrived. But there is a way.

            “ _Fine_ ”, his sister finally says.

            “I love you. Thank you.” He says and does not squeal.

            _“Love you too. Tell them I’ll pick them up at school tomorrow.”_

            “You’re the best aunt in the entire world, did you know that?” Louis asks her.

            _“I’m their_ only _aunt.”_ She says. _“Whatever. Bye, Lou.”_

            “Bye, Lots.”

 _Yes_.

 

            So Louis puts a smile on his face, and says _guess who’s gonna spend the evening with you tomorrow?_ when he puts his kids to bed and tells them he’ll get home later than usual. Mandy says it’s okay, as long as he gives her drawing to Harry, because it’s very unfair that only Nate’s gets to be on his wall. Louis crosses his heart Harry will receive her drawing and love it.

            “Will we see him again, dad?” She asks.

            “I don’t know, baby”, he answers truthfully.

            “I want to see him again”, Mandy tells him, getting under the covers.

            “Okay, I’ll pass on the message, yeah?” Louis kisses her forehead.

            “Thank you, dad.”

            “He will want to see we-uhn, _us_ again”, Nate inputs when Louis goes to kiss him. “He said I’m the coolest boy he ever met!” He smiles big.

            “He _has_ ever met”, Louis corrects softly. “And I’m sure you are, Nathan Tomlinson, you are my son after all.” He chuckles.

            “But just because I am the coolest girl.” Amanda tells him.

            Louis smiles again, agrees with her and does not encourage more conversation because it is bedtime. He says goodnight and turns off the lights, leaving the door ajar and going back to his room with a small smile on his face.

            His kids are growing up and Louis is growing old. Okay, not _old old_ , but he is not twenty four anymore with a whole future ahead of himself. Louis needs to get a grip. Also, he needs to find a way to get more money in the next few years in order to find a bigger house and allow his children to have two separate bedrooms, because he can only imagine how snappy Mandy will get in her preteens.

            And he _knows_ it will take a while, but Louis has learned to plan ahead for every freaking thing now, because he can’t afford any more surprises in his life – they’re usually not good ones.

 

            Friday starts just like any other day. He gets up before six to make some coffee, because there is no way Louis can start the day without it, and then he wakes up his kids. He foregoes their morning showers, since it’s March and still freezing and their heater is not working, because, well, Louis hasn’t had time to hire someone yet or the money to pay that someone.

            It’s been cold for forever now and they all chitter making their way to the kitchen to eat the half-burned things that Louis always makes them. They never complain. Louis still kind of feels like a failure.

 

            “So, Lots is going to pick you guys up from school and then stay a little bit longer, okay?” He asks just to be sure while he packs up their lunch.

            “You working late, dad?” Nate asks, getting out of his stool very fast and almost giving Louis a heart attack. He _always_ does that.

            Louis weights his options. He is talking to four year olds here, he doesn’t really know how to say _going out for drinks with my boss and it may or may not be some kind of date, because it’s after hours, and he’s hot, but he’s also my boss and he probably just wants to thank me for helping him out_ in a way that is understandable for kids.

            “I am, Nate”, he chooses to say. “Is that all right?”

            “Yes”, his son answers and that’s pretty much it. Louis has the best kids in the world.

           

            He drops them off at school, which is only a few blocks away, and says goodbye with kisses and hugs, making his way back to the train station that is on the opposite side of the neighborhood and preparing himself for little more than a dull hour till he gets to Manhattan.

 

-

 

            The office is hectic for a Friday afternoon, but just because the company is about to complete its twenty five years and there is a party coming, and Harry decided that _today_ would be a good day for food-tasting, since it’s, well, Friday.

            There are three different catering companies walking around all of the floors in the building, serving them food and non-alcoholic drinks the entire day – breakfast food, lunch, afternoon snacks, till they’re all full and satisfied. Louis is particularly fond of catering company number three, and he doesn’t even need to make a note to tell Harry that, because his boss comes walking his way the exact moment the thought crosses his mind.     

            “I prefer catering company number three!” Louis fake-whispers as Harry approaches.

            “Yeah? I think I do too”, Harry tells him in a _real_ whisper because he is more polite. And he speaks slowly. Maybe his years living in California for college have done that to him.

            Louis smiles back at him and gets back to work, watching Harry walk towards the elevator already on the cellphone and with an iPad in the other hand. He seems to be exhausted.

 

            And he is. They all are. It’s only at half past six that the building clears up and Louis still waits at least an hour for Harry to finish a phone call before they can go, but he does, because he likes Harry just fine and knows he is working. In the meantime and in order to _not_ freak out, Louis calls his mother.

            “I know you’re working, but I could really use a pep talk.” This is how he opens the conversation.

            _“Aren’t you supposed to be on a date with your boss right about now?”_ His mother asks back.

            “ _No_ , because it’s not a date”, he huffs out. “Harry’s taking a phone call in his room, I’m waiting.” He then explains.

            _“Okay, boo. What’s wrong then?”_ Jay asks. Louis doesn’t even fight her on calling him _boo_ because he is, maybe, a bit nervous about it all.

            “I don’t know.” He whines. “It’s pretty casual, you know? Probably two work-mates going out for a drink after a stressful week, right?” He doesn’t wait for an answer, just nods to himself. “But Harry is- _hot_ , like, really hot.”

            _“I’ve seen pictures.”_

            Yes, she did, because his mom went to the company’s website.

            “Yeah- so, I- I don’t know.” Louis shrugs. “Oh, shit, he’s coming. Bye, mom.” And he hangs up before Jay can get another word out. He’ll apologize for that later.

 

            Harry comes out of his room looking happier than he did the whole day. Louis can see the tiredness in his face and he probably mirrors it, having woken up at freaking five forty-five am, but he’s also… Happy, if he puts away his _unjustified_ nervousness.

            “D’you mind if we drive a bit?” Harry asks. “I don’t know if I like any bars ‘round here”, his boss says. “Unless you wanna go to the one at the Four Seasons…?” Louis just looks at him, or better yet, _stares_.

            Harry laughs and throws his head back, and he thinks that if Harry really wanted, Louis _would_ go to the Four Seasons. Louis is pretty sure that his boss knows that with that face and those curls, he could make _world peace_ , so of course he could convince Louis to go wherever he wanted. The fact that he doesn’t says a lot about him.

 

            Instead of having a driver, Harry drives today. And of course he is handed the keys to a fucking _Bentley_.

            “Impressive”, Louis comments when he gets in. “But you look more like a Ferrari kinda guy”, he says as if it’s nothing. As if this isn’t the first time he is inside something so expensive.

            “I actually am”, Harry replies with ease, starting the engine. “But Ferraris are better for California. Better and more beautiful roads… Left mine there when I came here.”

            “Of course you did”, he does his best, he really does, but he still rolls his eyes, because _Harry_.

            “Would you like to eat something?” His boss asks.

            Louis is trying really hard not to think about Harry as his boss now since he is seating on the passenger seat of his car, but also, he’s trying really hard to _remember_ that Harry is his boss and this is _not_ a date, because Louis doesn’t date. Hasn’t since his ex-husband left him with two kids.

            “Jesus, _no_ , we ate enough throughout the day…” He chuckles and so does Harry.

            “Okay, then”, the boy smiles and turns on the radio, Kodaline softly playing in the background.

            It’s difficult now not to think of Harry as a boy. He’s got the whole baby face thing going on for him, but it’s more than that. As they drive towards whatever bar he is taking Louis, Harry tells him about his life in Cali and how different it is to be back here in New York, a city that always represented an all-boys school and a future he didn’t really want.

            And it would sound ungrateful if somebody else said it, because, like, who doesn’t want to inherit a billion-dollar company? But the way Harry says it makes Louis believe him. The way Harry says it makes Louis understand that he’d rather still be in Los Angeles producing movies and going to the beach than staying in New York. A selfish part of Louis is glad that Harry is here, though. Hollywood can find other producers.

 

            They’re in SoHo. And Harry has brought him to the fucking _Trump SoHo New York_ hotel.

            “Okay, before you say anything-” Harry starts when they park in front of the hotel, “I did _not_ vote for Trump, I _hate_ Donald Trump and everything he represents _and_ I even put Hillary on the list for the party, although I don’t think she’ll be able to make it….” _Harry’s family knows Hillary Clinton. Why is this a surprise?_ “… But my mate works at the bar here, and he makes _mean_ drinks, I swear.”

            There it is again, that boyish expression on his face. A hopefulness that Louis hasn’t experienced in a long, long time.

            “I cannot believe you, Harold.” He says but smiles anyways. “Let’s go, then.”

            The place is amazing; Louis needs to give him that. And by him he means Harry and not Donald Trump. They head towards the bar and Harry walks really close to him, just far enough not to touch, but near enough that Louis feels his warmness. Harry is warm, Louis finds out. _So_ , handsome, kind _and_ warm. That is a bad combination. For Louis’ sanity, that is.

            Harry leads him to a corner booth that screams intimacy and is definitely not a place two _bro pal dudes work-mates_ go to destress after work. But Louis is not complaining.

           

            “Harry, so good to see you, darling!” A girl with a strong British accent comes to their table. She is _gorgeous_ and flashes Harry the biggest smile in the world. For the first time Louis thinks that _maybe he’s straight and you’re just misinterpreting things because you don’t even know flirting anymore, stupid, stupid, stupid_.

            “Pezz!” Harry smiles from the booth. “This is Louis, by the way, he works with me”, he points and the girl waves. Louis waves back with the best smile he can manage. “Is Nialler in already?”

            “Just arrived, he’s absolutely gutted that his night shift’s on a Friday this week.” She jokes. “What will you lovely lads be having?”

            “Harold says there are mean drinks around here. God knows I need one. Or ten. Surprise me?” Louis speaks. _He called him Harold. Why- just—why?_

“Make two of that surprise then”, _Harry_ says and then turns back to Louis. “You won’t regret it, I swear.”

            “The ‘surprise’ or having drinks with you?” He asks before he can stop himself.

            “Both, hopefully”, Harry Styles grins. And from now on Louis loses any care in the world for a few hours.

 

            They talk. A lot. It’s not like Louis hadn’t noticed that they get along pretty well, but now that neither of them is swamped with work and don’t have to worry about people around them, the conversation just flows with ease, like they’ve known each other for forever.

            Again, Louis gets that sense of warmness, of comfort, of _Harry_ , just Harry – not his boss, not a new friend, just this person, this amazing person who’s been in his life for two months and already makes him all fuzzy.

            Or maybe it’s the alcohol. Yep. Louis blames the alcohol.

            He learns that Harry hates his current apartment and any kind of apartment, really, because he’s always wanted to live in a house. Louis can understand, his place is small, but it’s much more personal than any apartment could be. He learns that Niall is Harry’s childhood friend and the best, really. Harry often lied about high society parties to go to Brooklyn spend time with him.

            “No way”, Louis laughs. “You were the only teenager that I know who pretended to go to a party to stay home!” He says and sips from his drink again.

            “Well, I think”, he shrugs. “But mom was always really worried about my crossing the bridge like there was some kind of monster on the other side…” Harry laughs. He looks like he’s all fuzzy on the inside too. It’s a good look on him – like any other, Louis reckons. “Manhattan parties always entailed too many girls throwing themselves at me, too much drugs and just- loud music.”

            “What kind of teenager wouldn’t want that?”

            “The kind of teenager who always preferred boys, pizza and videogames.” He tells Louis nonchalantly.

            Not straight then. Okay.

            “ _OH MY GOD, you were totally boning Niall in your teenage years!”_ He accuses.

            “Jesus, no!” Harry laughs loudly. “No, argh”, he shakes his whole body as in disgust and it’s really funny. Louis kinda laughs loudly too. “See that blond lad there?” He points and Louis looks. “That’s Niall.”

            “He’s handsome.”

            “And straight. And like my brother. Never again say that, _Jesus_ ”, he says and Louis laughs one more time.

            The man looks around Harry’s age and has got blond hair and really blue eyes. He has a Californian vibe going on for him too, and later Louis finds out that he also went to UCLA with Harry in a football scholarship and they lived together for four years.

            Niall is a chef, and he works at the hotel restaurant during the day and the bar a few nights a week, because he wants extra money to open his own restaurant one day.

            “And how did teenage Harry get the boys if he were always hidden in Brooklyn?” Louis asks. He is curious.

            “He managed, trust me”, Harry blinks. Louis doesn’t doubt him for a second. “What about teenage Louis?” Harry asks.

            “Teenage Louis went to a public school and hated private school kids like yourself”, he snorts.            

            “And college student Louis? You went to college, right?”

            “I did, yeah. NYU.” Louis shrugs. “It was hell, because mom couldn’t pay for it and my stepfather had vanished by then- so I got, like, three different jobs and worked my way through it.”

            Harry’s expression changes, but he urges Louis to keep talking. So Louis does.

            “It was shit, most of the time, I don’t remember sleeping much- but I could fit parties and blow jobs in dirty toilets every now and then.” Louis smirks and Harry smiles at him.          

            “Proper party boy, you were?”

            “Nah- I met someone on my second year and that was about it.”

            Louis doesn’t want to get sad.

            He doesn’t want to remember how he met Aaron and everything seemed perfect and how in love they were. He doesn’t want to remember the good, because then he’ll have to talk about the bad, too, so he shakes his head, finishes his drink and changes the topic back to Harry.

            Harry has had three boyfriends and his family didn’t like any of them. He kept the relationships mostly to annoy Des. Anne – Harry’s mother – always trusted him to do the best in the end, and that is why Harry loves her the most. He really likes his stepfather too, and visits both of them whenever he can, since they all live in the same city.

            “But didn’t your parents divorce way before you guys moved from Chicago to here?” Louis frowns.

            He only knows that because he read it when it happened – the divorce. The _Styles_ name is important enough that it makes to _page six_ every now and then. He’s always seen Harry as some kind of _Vanessa Van Der Woodsen_ (with better hair and legs) before he actually met him.

            “Yeah- but get that: Robin’s company moved him to Manhattan too.” He chuckles. “So I’ve actually been living here since I was thirteen and a half, before Dad moved.”       

            “Oh, okay, now it all makes sense with- Niall and all.”

            “Yeah. I thought you knew… Sorry, should’ve started with it.”

            “This is the first time we talk about our personal lives, Harry, how could I know?” Louis muses.

            “You’re right…” Harry agrees with a smile. “It just- it feels like we’ve known each other longer, doesn’t it?” Again, he sounds hopeful.

            “Yes. It really does.”

 

            It’s almost ten when Louis kind of freaks out about the time and tells Harry he _needs_ to go or he’ll miss the train. They’ve drunk two daiquiris and a half each, but they’re not drunk. They’ve talked more than anything, really.

            They stop by the bar counter to say goodbye to Niall and Louis likes him _instantly_ – and Louis doesn’t like many people at first sight. Harry tells him that Niall is just ‘one of those people’, and yes, he gets that feeling too. Niall also gives him a look – as if he’s checking Louis out – and then gives Harry thumbs-up. Louis shakes his head and makes _nothing_ of it.

 

            “Where d’you live?” Harry asks him while they’re waiting for the valet to bring Harry’s car.

            “Queens.”

            “What?” Curly asks a bit startled.

            “Just drop me off at the station as fast as you can, please”, Louis requests and Harry doesn’t answer, just thanks the valet, gives him a huge tip and gestures for Louis to get in the car, doing the same afterwards. “Type in your address”, Harry points to the GPS.

            “No way, Harry”, he rolls his eyes.

            “It’s very late, you live very far and I am not letting you take the crazy ten pm train to Queens. Not happening.”

            “I’m a big boy, Harold”, Louis argues.

            “Consider this as me wanting to spend more time with you then”, he smiles. “C’mon, Lou, humor me.”

            It’s the _Lou_ that does it for him. And Louis does not complain when the Harry chooses to drive the longer path, because maybe he wants to spend more time with Harry too.

 

            Contrary to what Louis thought, they don’t talk much on the way to his house. There’s no traffic because it’s pretty late, and Harry changes the music to John Mayer, asking Louis if it’s okay – it is, because John Mayer is Louis’ favorite singer. Louis learns that he is Harry’s too.

            The silence is good. Good, because it’s comfortable. And Louis appreciates a person with whom he can be loud and energetic, but also quiet and at peace.

 

            It’s only when they’re five minutes away that Harry speaks up again.

            “You said the kids are with your sister?” He kind of states kind of asks.

            “Yeah, she’s a right brat, that one”, he snorts. “Lottie’s seven years younger than me, works at a hairdresser saloon-- doesn’t really want to go to college.”

            “Hm…” Harry hums. “And your mom?”

            “A nurse, works crazy shifts. Always has.” He tells him. “What’s with the family interrogatory now?” Louis asks with an amused smile.

            “I’ve just realized that we spent hours talking and I didn’t ask anything about Mandy and Nate- I feel bad.” He is so sincere when he speaks. Louis coos.

            “I don’t know if my children are something to talk over alcohol, though”, he chuckles. “Not really a night-out topic, is it?”

            “Yeah, no... Next time we can have lunch, then.”

            _Next time, next time, next time_.

            “Next time?” Louis decides to ask, raising an eyebrow. “Are you planning to have another crazy week just so I can help you and you can _thank me_ with food this time?” It’s not his best sentence, but it does the job.

            “I’m sure I’ll have another crazy week, and I’m sure you’ll help me…” Harry says and then parks the car. _Oh_ , they have arrived. “But you do know that that was just an excuse to ask you out, yeah?” He turns to Louis. Harry is- _direct_. Louis is a bit turned on by that.

            “Harry…” He starts with a warning tone.

            Louis didn’t know. Or, at least, he didn’t want to know for sure.

            “Say yes to lunch with me, Louis Tomlinson”, he states. “Please.”

            Do people say _no_ to Harry Styles? Louis would like to find out. He’d actually _love_ to meet this person, shake their hand and ask them for a lesson on how to deny anything to this man. Because Louis clearly can’t. Seriously. It’s easier to say _no_ to his pouty kids than to Harry.

            He says yes to lunch. And then Harry gets really close, says _thank you_ really low in his ear, making Louis whole body shiver, kisses his cheek and says _good night, Lou_ – rosy, wet lips tickling his jaw, raspy voice and forest green eyes in the dark of the night. Louis exits the car before he does something stupid.

                       

            What happens next is either really good or really, really bad, but Louis can’t decide.

            He enters his house, locks the door behind him, takes in the silence and the darkness, assumes that everyone is asleep (everyone is) and rushes to his room, locking that door too, and as he lies on the bed, completely drunk on the thought of Harry and the way his mouth felt near his skin for such little, little time, Louis can’t help but get super-duper horny.

            It’s been so long since he got this turned on by someone – by everything they are – that Louis doesn’t need much. He starts by his nipples, they’ve always been sensitive. He teases them as much as he can, and he closes his eyes remembering how big Harry’s hands looked around that daiquiri glass; how long his fingers were and how good they looked with all of those expensive rings.

            He imagines those hands on him, big and hot and languid and he imagines those fingers pinching his nubs, and the _thought_ of it has him biting down on his lips, turning his head to one side and feeling his hair falling in his eyes as he travels one hand down his torso till it reaches his bulge.

            And- and he isn’t quite satisfied with his own hand there, because _Harry’s_ hands would do wonders to him. Harry looks like the kind of person who likes to tease – who likes foreplay just as much as Louis does, and boy does Louis like foreplay.

            He can picture Harry hovering over him, one hand massaging his hard-on over his boxers and the other still on his nipple, mouth and tongue on Louis’ neck, then earlobe, whispering filthy sentences in his ear with that _voice_ \- that damned voice.

            Louis has been trying, God, he’s been trying so hard not to notice how low Harry’s voice generally is. How every time he says Louis’ name there is an extra softness to it and how, in the morning, it’s like he’s just sucked cock, because it’s even hoarser. Louis imagines what it’s like to wake up to that Harry, or to go to sleep with him, after a great night of sex, because _Harry is sex on legs_.

            Louis allows himself to want him tonight, he really does.

            He shoves his boxers down and is writhing on the sheets by the time he reaches his balls to play with them- but that’s enough teasing, because he just _can’t_ anymore.

            He doesn’t remember, for the life of him, the last time he got this hard this fast, doesn’t even know if he’s ever had a wank this good, but as he closes one hand around himself, biting even harder on his lip not to moan, Louis decides it doesn’t really matter, because he’s right here and right now and his boss is _hot_ and his boss asked him out again and he- fucking Harry _whispered_ good night to him, and his lips were so, so wet and plush like- like strawberry- and now Louis is thinking about how they taste and _Jesus he is a mess_.

            He’s a mess and he wants Harry, he wants, wants and wants, and he wants Harry to kiss him all over, trailing his tongue down his torso and biting on his hipbones, he wants _Harry’s_ hand to hold his base and he wants _Harry’s_ smart mouth around his head- Louis bucks up, whines, bites his arm and enjoys the pain.

            He’s furiously wanking now and his cock is throbbing in his hand, because even _it_ knows that there should be Harry’s mouth there – sucking and licking and sucking again, all the way down and then up one more time.

            Louis wants Harry to suck him until he’s about to come, just so he can pull on his hair and shove him away, pressing his lean body to the mattress to the mattress, about to fuck Harry seven ways into heaven—or hell, it really isn’t that important.

            What is important, at this moment, is that Louis comes thinking about the moment he’d get his cock inside of his boss, and he draws blood of his own arm as he keeps biting through his orgasm, imagining that one day he might actually get the chance.

            It’s all new and it’s all too much. And Louis doesn’t think about it, because he falls asleep right after, more relaxed than he’s been in _years_.

            Harry is already changing things in his life, and he isn’t even noticing it yet.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

            Harry’s cellphone lights up at four in the afternoon on Saturday when he is doing nothing but sulk in his own misery because he’s got nothing to do. It would be funny if it weren’t so scary how much his life has changed in the past couple of months.

            Harry had a good job in California, he was making a name for himself and he was staying away from his father’s last name – he was _satisfied_ with his life. He was feeling good. But now he’s back in Manhattan, with few friends, an empire in his hands and an empty apartment just for himself.

 

            **_Let’s go out tonight, Hazza_** , Niall invites him via text.

            He’s got nothing to lose now does he? Harry goes.

           

            It kinda sucks. And here’s why:

            “That guy’s ogling you in a way I’ve never seen”, his friend yells in his ear. It’s not that Harry dislikes night clubs; it’s just that he kind of hates them.

            “Where?” He asks.

            “There”, Niall points and Harry stares.

            The guy is objectively hot. And Harry hasn’t gotten laid in two months, which- _never_ happened since he started having sex, many years ago. So, yeah, he is kind of desperate for it. He keeps looking.

            The man is tall and broad and could manhandle him just right if Harry had the perfect amount of alcohol in his system and he looks like he wouldn’t care to go to Harry’s place – a motel or his own would suffice. It is a perfect opportunity for Harry to have sex, he knows it is. Still, there is something… Off about the guy. Or about who the guy _isn’t_.

            “You going there any time this year?” Niall yells again.

            “Nah, I don’t think so.” He dismisses it and finishes his beer.

            “And why the hell not?”

            “I sort of… Started seeing someone?” He half-states.

            “Louis?” His friend asks just to be sure and Harry nods. “You had drinks _once_ , Hazza. I’d say let hot guy take you home.”

            “Maybe”, Harry answers and asks for another drink. It’s still too early.

 

            He wakes up somewhere on the Upper West Side with hot guy still sound asleep by his side and rates the night a seven. Seven and a half, probably. The guy was good but they weren’t compatible enough – maybe Harry would’ve been better off with a wank and a dildo at his own place but, well, what’s done is done.

            He leaves a note saying it was nice but that was it (in better words, but still making it clear they will never see each other again) and exits the apartment feeling less of a dick, making plans to go home, have breakfast and then run around Central Park – God knows Harry misses exercising. He also makes a note to look for a good Yoga place around here.

 

-

 

            Harry has been learning how to deal with his father’s partners pretty well if he says so himself. Of course they still wrinkle their already wrinkled noses at him every now and then, but the fact that Harry got two more investors in Tokyo on his last trip makes them a bit more amicable towards him.

            But there is a party coming and people from all around the world, representatives, owners of stores, buyers, important names for marketing and whatnot and Harry’s kind of losing his shit already.

            Louis helps him, of course he does, but he knew he would, because that’s just the way Louis is. And you see, Harry _knows_ it because he’s asked. He is not _stupid_ – maybe, maybe a bit stupid _for Louis_ , but he’s not a stupid person, so, he’s asked around.

            Apparently, Louis Tomlinson _has been_ , indeed, Des’ right arm since he started working here, and some people dare say he’s way more than just an assistant, because he did so much. And he still does, doesn’t he? Louis is so damn smart and Harry’s constantly surprised by the things he comes up with so as to help.

 

            _“Do I need to arrive earlier to help you with the last arrangements for the party, Harry?”_ Cheryl asks with that patronizing tone.

            “No, I got it.”

            “ _It’s a very important event, Harry, have you prepared your toast?”_

He isn’t a violent person, he really isn’t, but fuck if Harry doesn’t want to punch something (or someone) every time he talks with the vice president of _Styles Cosmetics_ on the phone.

            “Not yet, but I will. Everything else is already arranged.”

            “ _Has Sain Lourent given you answer yet?”_

“Yes, there’s a rep coming.” He sighs. “Look, Cheryl, I’d love to keep talking to you, but there’s too much work around here—laters, bye.” And he hangs up. Harry just _can’t_.

            Louis is on the other side of the glass with a soft smile on his face, and when he sees that Harry finished the call, he leaves his things at his desk and walks into Harry’s office. It’s been two weeks since they went out to have drinks, and they’ve been talking a lot.

            Harry can’t help but text him stupid things and more often than not Louis’ replies are actually Louis’ _kids_ replies, and every day he gets a bit more endeared by this handsome man that’s warmed his way into his personal life… But it’s not Louis’ fault, no, because Harry’s been a bit gone since the beginning, hasn’t he?

 

            “Hey, you all right?” Louis asks before entering the room. He doesn’t knock anymore and Harry likes it.

            “Yeah, Cheryl just gets under my skin sometimes”, he tells him the truth.

            Above all things, Louis is someone Harry can trust in the company – he knows he can because his father did. Harry’s father was never wrong about people. Except, maybe, about Harry himself.

            “Don’t like her either, to be honest”, Louis sighs and sits on the chair across from Harry, the desk between them. “What did she want?”

            “To know about the party, if she’d have to get to New York early to help me with anything…” He rolls his eyes. “She did ask about the toast, though- what am I supposed to say? _I’m sorry my father died and you have to deal with me now, please keep trusting the company?_ ” There’s no humor to his laugh, but Harry laughs anyway.

            The best thing about Louis – as an employee and as a friend – is that he never pities Harry. He doesn’t look at him as someone who is incapable of doing the job and he doesn’t discourage him when he notices that there are some things that, indeed, Harry can’t accomplish by himself just yet.

            “You could always google _good speeches for multinational companies’ parties_ ”, Louis jokes, but it falls flat. “I’m sorry”, he then says. “Did your dad keep footage of those parties?”

            “Probably… I think so, why?”

            “You could watch them- maybe it’d inspire you”, Louis voices.

            Again, it’s a brilliant idea. The only reason Harry doesn’t wish he had thought about it himself is because then Louis wouldn’t be sitting here giving him advice, and Harry quite likes having Louis here.

            “Y-yeah, I could.” He smiles in spite of himself. “Hey, Lou- not the best time, but—uhn, when can we have lunch?” Harry asks a bit uncertain.

            Most of the time he has no idea of what Louis wants with him. That is as infuriating as it is amazing. Louis is a puzzle Harry wants to put together, because if the pieces are this beautiful, he can only imagine what it’ll look like when it’s assembled.

            “We have lunch together every day, Harold”, the other man answers cheekily and Harry chuckles.

            “You know what I mean.”

            “Do I?” He raises an eyebrow.

            “Why are you making this difficult?” Harry asks then.

            It’s not the first time he’s tried to ask Louis out again. It’s all good, but it’s all uncertain, too.

            “Because I don’t want you to ask me out”, Louis answers truthfully.

            It’s like somebody slapped Harry in the face.

            “Why not?” He frowns. If anything, he deserves to know.

            “Because I will say yes. And I can’t say yes, Harry.”

            Things are so, so quiet around them now. _Fuck_ , Louis knows how to change an atmosphere. Harry thinks he understands – Louis has got kids, he’s divorced, or so Harry assumes, and they come from completely different backgrounds.

            It’s no news to Harry that they don’t belong in the same world – except… They kind of do, don’t they? And Harry… Well, Harry wants to understand better. He wants Louis to explain things to him because he- he _wants_.

            And maybe it’s childish, maybe Harry just doesn’t know how to take a _no_ , maybe this is Harry asking too much of someone who isn’t willing to give. But that’s a maybe. There are endless possibilities for the two of them. Harry wants to _explore_ those possibilities. Because there is something about Louis that just tells him it will be _so worth it_.

            So he asks again.

            “So… When can we have lunch? I can even cook!” Harry promises.

            “Harry…”

            “Please.”

            “Fuck”, Louis whines. “This is _so_ not fair, have you seen your hair?”

            “My hair?!” He laughs.

            “And mouth. And like- eyes. Your whole dumb face and- I hate you. Also, you definitely _are_ cooking.” He points.

            “When can you make it?” Harry smiles through it.

            “Uhn, this Saturday, I guess. Aaron is supposed to get the kids for lunch, so- yeah. He’s- hm, my ex-husband?” Louis kind of asks.

            He looks scared. He looks like he fears Harry will run away just because he’s got baggage.

            Louis doesn’t know that the things behind his eyes, the ones he doesn’t tell people and doesn’t want them to see are the most fascinating things about him. Harry doesn’t tell him that just yet, but he nods reassuringly and tells Louis that Saturday is perfect, and he’ll even grocery shop on _Friday night_. Louis rolls his eyes and excuses himself from the room, claiming he has work to do. (Harry does too, he just can’t concentrate now.)

 

-

 

            So, Saturday.

            _“I’m on my way”_ , Louis calls at midday, _“Aaron was late, sorry.”_ He doesn’t sound too upset, so Harry doesn’t ask, he lets it slide.

            “No problem, Lou, d’you need a ride?”

            _“Already on the train, Harry, just text me your address.”_

Harry does, and checks the food so everything is perfect for when Louis arrives. He’s got wine on the counter and is happy that it’s sunny outside.

            March is slowly turning into April and although it isn’t hot per se, the weather has warmed up enough that they can breathe without feeling their lungs hurt, so Harry thanks the heavens for this. He opens the curtains so there is natural light in the living room and so Louis can appreciate the Central Park view – Harry sure does, it’s one of the things that make him like New York a bit more.

           

            Louis arrives at a little after one and it’s great, really, because it’s just in time for lunch to be ready. Harry isn’t nervous, but as Louis takes in his apartment, he kind of feels ashamed of being here and having all of this – it’s a ridiculous thought, maybe, but it’s just- Louis lives in Queens and raises children and works his ass off for everything. Harry inherited this place as well as everything else he owns and it’s just—weird, having someone so much better than him in a place that is _his_ but he didn’t deserve.

            Harry doesn’t dwell in it though, he puts on a huge smile and tells Louis what’s on the menu for today, and Louis, bless him, smiles big and Harry feels accomplished when he sees the crinkles by the man’s eyes. He likes Louis a whole lot and that is undeniable.

            “This is so good”, he moans around the fork, “really, Harry, how did you learn to cook like this?”

            “My grandmother”, he shrugs. “Mom’s mother. She died five years ago, but I used to spend the summers at her house and just- yeah. I was always walking around her in the kitchen trying to learn new things.”

            “God bless your grandma then!” Louis voices. “All of those culinary classes she gave you were just so you could feed me right at this moment”, he jokes.

            Harry thinks that he can be right. That maybe everything that has ever happened in his life led to them meeting. But he doesn’t say it.

            “Well, I’ll pass on the message when I’m praying.”

            “You pray?” Louis asks.

            “Sometimes, yes.”

            “Hm, interesting.” He comments and takes another bite of his fajita.

            “Why?”

            “I just—” chews, “sorry”, chews again. Harry _really_ doesn’t care, in fact, he thinks  it’s cute. “Ok, sorry—” he chuckles after he swallows. “I used to go to church with mom when I was little, but then I found out I was gay and just stopped going.”

            “God doesn’t hate gay people, Louis”, Harry tells him smiling amusedly. “You can love God _and_ yourself.”

            “I know, you knob, I meant it didn’t feel right for me at the church anymore, everyone looked at me weirdly.”

            “Yeah, but that’s _their_ problem, isn’t it?” He shrugs. “Plus, you don’t have to go to church to pray.”

            “True that.” Louis agrees. “Last time I went to church was when we baptized the kids.” Harry exclaims an _oh_ and he goes on. “Stan’s their godfather, he’s- like, my best mate. We’ve been friends since we were kids, really.”

            “What does he do?”

            “He works at a music store in New Jersey- married a nice girl and moved there, but he’s always visiting and I take the kids there when I’m in the mood to face long train rides with four year olds...”

            Louis keeps talking.

            He tells Harry all about his high school days with Stan, how they loved playing soccer but unfortunately everyone cared more about football or baseball, and how _stupid_ that was. Harry interjects right then, saying that football is amazing and he’s a big Packers supporter. They bicker. Harry loves it.

            Harry asks him more things and Louis answers them – he looks more relaxed than Harry’s ever seen him, and it’s good to know that this is because of _him_ , that Louis is being happy and a bit careless and just… Relaxed. Relaxed is another nice look on him.

            Actually, speaking of looks, Louis is breathtaking. He’s wearing tight washed out jeans and a black hoodie to go with his black vans, but Harry swears he looks better than any model in the most refined designer clothes.

            It’s just that Louis has this aura around him – it’s the only way Harry can explain it.

            There are some people that are beautiful, yeah, but they’re also a bit plastic, a bit too perfect, and Louis is natural. He’s the kind of person that lights up a room just by being in there, and sometimes, sometimes he looks at Harry like _Harry_ is this kind of person – and it’s unexplainably amazing. It’s something that Harry didn’t even know existed.

            And as Louis talks, as he tells Harry more about his life and asks Harry a few questions, just to see if he’s following the conversation, Harry starts to realize that the things he thinks or feels about Louis are _new_. It’s like Louis opened a whole new spectrum of emotions and Harry’s eager to find out what each and every one of them means.

 

            “I need to take this”, Louis says when his phone rings, but doesn’t really get up from the couch.

            Harry thinks about leaving to give him privacy, but, well, if the man didn’t need to go to another room to answer it, maybe it’s okay if he stays. The couch is comfy anyway. And he’s feeling warm.

 

            “ _You what?_ ” Louis asks a bit angrily. “ _What is wrong with you, Aaron? Put her on the line, now_.” Ok, he looks really, really angry. _“Hey, love, are you okay?”_ His voice softens when talks to Amanda, Harry figures. _“No- hey, it’s okay, you don’t need to cry, he was just joking. Mandy—Mandy, you don’t need to cry, baby, he won’t do it._ ”

            Jesus, Louis looks like his heart’s about to break.

            _“I’ll- I’ll pick you up, okay? You don’t have to stay there, it’s fine”_ , he sighs and waits a bit. _“Get their stuff ready”_ , Louis speaks harshly again. _“And ask your mom to answer the door when I get there, because if I see you I swear to God I’ll punch you in the face._ ”

            He hangs up.

            “I’m sorry”, is the first thing he says to Harry. “I need to go, I—”

            “What happened, Lou?”

            Harry watched the whole exchange a bit nervous, because he didn’t know what was happening – but it was, of course, something involving the kids and their other parent. The other parent that Louis wants to punch and Harry does too, but for different reasons.

            “Aaron’s got a boyfriend or a- fiancé, I don’t know, I don’t care”, he starts explaining. “The kids don’t like him very much, but he brought him around for lunch with them and they started talking about moving out of New York and taking them— _Aaron would never_ , but- but he joked about it too and Mandy got scared about it, about leaving me, so he yelled at her and- yeah.”

            “What a dick”, Harry doesn’t control himself.

            “It’s the small things you know?” Louis’ shoulders fall. “Something always happens and he _always_ disappoints them and- I’m sorry, you don’t really need to hear this.”

            “I’d love to”, he says softly and risks taking Louis’ hand. “Whenever you want to tell me. But right now I think we should get going.”

            “We?”

            “We should pick the kids up, do something fun so they, you know, forget that they had a bad day.”

            “Harry.” Louis exhales softly.

            “ _I know_ this is just our second date and if you want it I can just give you guys a ride and come back, but- it’d be great to spend time with them”, Harry shrugs.

            He’s not sure what the boundaries are yet. He’s never dated anyone with children and he’s never dated anyone like Louis.

            “Where did you come from?” He smiles and squeezes Harry’s hand. Harry thinks that the smile he himself gives almost splits his face in two. “And this is our first date, silly; you completely disguised the first one into a bro pal dude afterhours encounter.” He says and Harry laughs.

            “Okay, so on our _second date_ I’ll take you out to dinner, properly and all.” He promises. Louis doesn’t answer. “Gonna get the car keys and _don’t-”_ He stops him as soon as Louis opens his mouth to protest. “Don’t say I don’t have to do it. I know I don’t _have_ to do anything. But I want to.”

            “I was just going to say that I need to use your bathroom before we leave”, he defends himself.

            “First door on the left”, Harry points and does not blush. Or totally does. Who cares?

 

            Louis gives him directions and they make it in thirty minutes. The kids are already in front of the building when Harry parks, and Nate is the first one to run towards Louis, Mandy right behind. They both hug their father and Harry swears that they smile bigger when they see he is there – it’s a nice feeling.

            “Surprise!” Louis says in a soft voice, getting out of the way so they can talk to Harry.

            “Harry!” Mandy says first, moving quickly to hug him and Harry gets down on his knees to try and level with her.

            In one second he’s got an armful of two kids, because Nate ran too, and Harry feels so good, so _happy_ that he nearly misses Louis walking towards the building, where a blonde woman is standing looking only a bit scared.

            “That’s nan”, Nate says very low so his dad doesn’t hear him.

            “Hm, looks like a nan.” Harry comments not really knowing what to say.

            “Our other nan is better”, Mandy says. “Her name is Jay.”

            “I bet she’s awesome!”

            “She’s going to love you”, the girl assures him and Harry glows. He doesn’t even know if he’ll ever get to meet Jay, but he _hopes_ he will. (Wait, what?)

            He gets the kids in the car and can’t help but notice how tense Louis’ posture is. He’s gesturing a lot, like his arms and not his mouth are doing the talking, and Harry would laugh if he didn’t think this was so serious.

            He entertains the kids. He turns on the radio and they sing along to Katy Perry and laugh together, and even though Amanda’s eyes are still red, she seems cheered up.

            “What would you guys like to do?” Harry asks when he sees Louis is coming back. “I told your dad we could do something fun if you wanted to…” He speaks as Louis enters the car. “But only if it’s okay, I could just drop you off and-”

            “We can go to the movies!” Nathan suggests.

            “That will take a lot of time, love”, Louis says in his _I don’t wanna bother_ tone that Harry can already detect too well.

            “I’ve nothing else to do today, do you guys have any really important thing to do today?” Harry asks the kids and they nod negatively, eagerness obvious in their expressions, making Louis chuckle and roll his eyes at Harry. _You sure?_ He mouths at him. “Movies it is then!” Harry answers all of them, deciding to go to the one in Queens, closer to their house.

            It’s a fun day, to say the least; none of them mention what happened early and they pick a children’s movie to watch, of course. They buy popcorn, although Louis pays first and doesn’t even let Harry _speak_ , and then move to go inside – the kids sit between them and Nathan comments the whole film with Harry, whispering his favorite parts and earning weird looks from Louis. Harry laughs along with the four year olds, and he thinks the day is amazing.

 

-

 

            “That took longer than I expected, sorry”, Louis says coming from the kids’ room.                     

            It’s nine pm and Harry’s in Louis’ living room, because the man invited him in. Mandy seemed a bit down when they arrived and Louis went in to talk to her and her brother.

            It took almost forty minutes, but Harry didn’t really complain. He got to look around and study every picture and corner of this room without being a creep; he just wanted to gather as much information as he could about Louis, and the one thing he knew clearly now was this: Louis Tomlinson is moved by his love for his family. It’s so different from what Harry grew up to that it would be foreigner to him if it weren’t everything he’s been dreaming of since he was able to think these kinds of thoughts.

            “That’s fine, I was okay.”

            “You could’ve left”, Louis states.

            “I didn’t.”

            And that seems to change everything for Louis. Harry doesn’t know why, but he can _see_ it when his eyes shift, when they get a bit more trusting.

            “I got wine”, is what he answers. “Probably not the wine _you’re_ used to but-”

            “I’d love some wine”, Harry smiles back at him, sitting on the couch.

            He watches Louis moving in the kitchen and he wants to get used to this – this moment, right now, is kind of perfect. Harry can picture many nights in which they drink wine together and talk. And this is so, so dangerous. You don’t get attached to people that easily – at least _Harry_ doesn’t. What the fuck is going on?

            “So, my children don’t want to see their other parent anymore”, he sighs sitting by Harry’s side and handing him a glass. “And I don’t really care if they do see him or not.”

            “Okay…”

            “This is bad, isn’t it? I- I should encourage them to talk to him more often, but I just… I don’t want my kids to have to teach him anything; it’s supposed to be the other way around.”

            When Louis speaks, he doesn’t really look at Harry. It’s almost like he’s scared of the words he’s saying out loud, like maybe he shouldn’t be saying them _to Harry_ , but he’s the only one close at this moment. Harry doesn’t make much of it, though, he just wants to listen, learn and try to make everything better.

            “What do you mean?”

            “Aaron doesn’t want them”, Louis says in a small voice.

            _“What?”_ Harry doesn’t pretend he isn’t surprised, because he is. _Who_ wouldn’t want those kids?

            “He bailed six months after they were born, apparently we shouldn’t have had kids that early. He blames our divorce on the kids and before that he- he blamed everything on them.” Harry can’t speak. “Nights out that we missed, clothes on the floor during the first month, a few nights in the hospital because Nate’s got really bad sinusitis…” Louis sighs. “And one day he left”, Louis shrugs. “I had a thing at work- it was one of the company’s parties actually… And I _needed_ to go because, well, your dad asked me to. It was my first year and Des scared me shitless, _of course_ I was going to go.”

            “So I asked Aaron to stay in with them, I’d come as soon as I could.” He keeps telling him the story and Harry nods. It’s all he can do. “I arrived around midnight, because the train took forever… He had already packed two bags, said the monsters were finally asleep and he was leaving.”

            “Lou…” Harry whispers.

            Louis finishes his glass of wine and places it on the coffee table, by the side of Harry’s.

            “No, I’m okay”, he dismisses, “really, I don’t- he’s insane. Because he left, and _who leaves those kids?_ ”

            “Someone really bad.” _He left you too. How does someone leave those kids and you?_

            “That’s what I thought too”, he answers smiling. It’s neither happy nor sad, just there – agreeing with Harry. “And so he left. And they were six months old, Harry. It was hell. Mom cut down on her shifts at work and Stan practically lived here. I remember being _so_ tired catching the train every day and trying to get them everything and- I didn’t ask him for _anything_.”

            “Anything?” Louis nods. “Not even child support?” He nods again. _“What?”_

“I just- I told him that he didn’t need to give me or them anything, I’d take all responsibilities, and he just had to show them that he cared. I wanted him to at least _try_ to be a father, because I- I grew up with little, like, comparing to what you grew up with, for example, but… Mom always said that love was everything we needed and I believed that; I _still_ believe that.”

            “I thought that if he didn’t have any kind of commitment with them he’d come to love them like I do, you know?” Harry understands his logics, and tries not to pity him, because this is all very, very sad. “I don’t know if it worked though.”

            “But he joked about them living with him…”

            “ _Joked_ , as in told me on the phone _you know I would never, Louis_.” He tells Harry. “It’s just- too fucked up and I’m sorry I laid it all on you. Bottom line is: Mandy doesn’t want to see him anymore because she’s scared and Nate doesn’t really like him or his family. So.”

            “First of all, don’t apologize”, Harry says to him, carefully placing a hand on his shoulder; Louis looks at him a bit uncertainly, but at least he’s looking him in the eyes. “I think… And that’s not a standard answer, I promise, but- I think that at the end of the day this is _his_ loss, you know?” The other man chuckles and Harry squeezes his shoulder reassuringly. “Of course it is, Lou.”

            “I know, I know, Amanda and Nathan are-”

            “Amazing. Yes. They’re gorgeous, polite, funny and really, _really_ smart. He’s lost all of this, you know? He’s missing out on _so_ much, it’s kind of sad to think about it, I’d be sad for him if he weren’t such a dick.” Louis laughs lightly. Harry’s glad.

            “But apart from that…” Harry speaks. “Apart from _them_ , he’s lost _you_ in the process, Louis, and you are-” He takes a deep breath. He feels like Louis does too, and holds it. “You are something else, Louis Tomlinson.”

            Let the records show that said _Louis Tomlinson’s_ cheeks redden. Harry moves his hand up to his neck and uses his thumb to caress Louis’ cheek.

            “What you did with those kids is… Remarkable, really.” Harry doesn’t notice when his voice drops, but suddenly he’s almost whispering his next words. “What you do, every single day, is amazing. The kids won’t be missing anything, because you love them enough for the world and- and I can’t even imagine what it is like to be loved by you…” He confesses. “But I dare say that it’s… It’s probably the best feeling in the world.”

            “Hazz…” Louis says and looks at him. He’s close.

            The nickname just escapes, Harry realizes, because only the children call him that. Harry really likes the way it rolls out of his tongue, too.

            “I’m serious, you know?” He tells Louis. “I know you will worry because you are a parent. But your kids will be fine, with or without him.”

            “Y-yeah. Thank you.” Louis says and moves his hand up to where Harry’s is, holding it by his face, kind of leaning towards his palm. Harry just smiles. He likes this moment a lot. “This was a shit date, wasn’t it?” He then asks, laughing quietly.

            “This was the best date.” Louis rolls his eyes, ready to protest. “It was. Everything about it was, I swear”, Harry says. He wants to tell Louis that he is _not_ Aaron and he is not going to run away the first crisis Louis has with children, but he thinks it’s too early; there’s too much meaning behind it, and _Harry_ still needs to figure some stuff out.

            There is a big difference, you see, between being infatuated with someone and being in love with them. Harry is infatuated with Louis. And he knows, he- he _knows_ he can be in love with him, Louis is _so_ easy to love. But he’s not there yet. Louis is not ready to be there with him yet either. So it’s okay. Harry holds his words back.       

            “Trust me. I loved every second of today”, he tells him.

            “Okay.”

            “Okay?” Louis nods. “Okay then”, Harry sighs and retracts his hand from Louis’ face to check his watch. “I should go then, it’s late and- yeah.”

            “There’s something missing, Harry.” The other man voices and Harry frowns. “We ate two meals together, you came in, we talked, we drank some wine…” He trails. “Now is the fun part.”

            “The fun part?” Harry smiles. Not for the first time today he feels his face _hurt_ , so big he’s grinning.

            “Now it’s the part where you kiss me. Or I kiss you. But I think this time ‘round you should kiss me, since you as-” Harry shuts him up because he _really_ just needs to be told once.

            It’s everything and nothing like he imagined it would be.

            Everything because Harry feels things: he feels the exact moment their lips touch and he feels that electricity running in his veins. He feels Louis’ hand on his thigh and the other in his hair and he feels how soft and still demanding Louis’ lips are – just like he likes it.

            Nothing, because it’s not- it doesn’t feel like a first kiss. It doesn’t feel like anything Harry’s ever felt and as Louis forces his way in, opening Harry’s mouth and sliding their tongues together, holding tighter on his hair and then letting it go, trailing his hand on Harry’s neck, chest and stopping to squeeze his waist. Harry’s entire body’s ignited. On fire.

            Harry deepens the kiss even more, leaning forwards and holding Louis’ hand on top of his own thigh, and he can’t help but make some satisfied noises as Louis squeezes his inner thigh, running his tongue on his bottom lip and then biting it, pulling back and diving in again. It’s hungry and it’s mad, but it’s so good.

            Louis kisses with expertise, tilting his head and changing positions at all the right moments, and when they finally pull apart to breathe, Louis just squeezes Harry’s waist again, urging the CEO to straddle his thighs. Harry’s never moved faster in his life.

            He straddles Louis and kisses him again. This time he feels even more. Louis’ hands on his back, his fingers leaving hot trails everywhere, and as he reaches the curve of Harry’s bum, he just stops, squeezing there again and each time he grips harder, Harry _kisses_ harder, muffling noises in Louis’ mouth, saying things without using words.

            Louis plays with the hem of Harry’s shirt and finally gains some courage to put his hands underneath it, and if Harry thought his hands were hot _over_ his shirt, under it is… Eliciting, he thinks – there might not even be a word for it yet.

            Louis needs a breather, Harry knows he does, and he confirms it when Louis trails kisses down his jaw and stops on his neck, sucking and biting and sucking again, hard.

            Harry groans, not being able to stop himself anymore, and he’s getting hard and _Louis_ is getting hard. He grinds down a bit and Louis _bites_. Harry moans. They pull apart and just stare at each other. Harry’s still on Louis’ crotch, he doesn’t want to move anytime soon, and Louis doesn’t seem to want Harry to move either, but they both know they have to, at least for now.

            “I should really go now”, Harry chuckles in Louis’ mouth. Louis pecks him one more time and nods. “This really was a perfect day, Louis.”

            “Yeah…” He says. Louis voice is usually high and raspy, but now it’s _low_ and raspy. Harry kinda loses it and kisses him one more time. It’s a lot slower, though. Somehow, it’s more meaningful. “There’s no going back from this now, is there?” He giggles in Harry’s neck and it tickles.

            Harry really hopes there isn’t.

            “I hope not”, he voices his thoughts.

            “Yeah, I—” Louis looks at him. “I think I do too. Hope that there isn’t. Going back, I mean.” Harry smiles, kisses him one more time. Then _Louis_ kisses Harry. And they smile. “I really like you, Harry.” He says, running his fingers through Harry’s hair smoothing the mess it probably is.

            “I really like you too.”

            “Be- uhn, be patient with me, yeah?” He asks. “I can be really thick.”

            “Oh, think I’ve felt it!” Harry jokes and Louis slaps his arm.

            “You’re ridiculous.”

            “But you really like me”, he says, a permanent grin on his face.

            “I do. I really, really do.” Louis agrees with him.

            The best part about this moment is that it is just the beginning.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I'm on vacations, I am going to travel this week and I'll be away for a few days (still not sure how many). I'll take my laptop and I PROMISE I'll try to get some writing done.
> 
> Your comments always make my day, so please do not hesitate :P  
> If you wanna talk, you can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/ifmelcouldfly)!
> 
>  
> 
> All the love as always,  
> M.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis wishes he could be one of those people who just go with the flow, but he can’t, not when there’s so much at stake, not when he’s already flown super close to the sun and got burned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, there, thank you for all of your lovely kudos and comments this far, they really keep me going!  
> I came back earlier than expected and here's a new chapter for you.  
> Hopefully you'll enjoy it :)

            The next day Louis wakes up with insistent hands tickling him. It’s a normal occurrence, but today he feels different, somehow.

            It’s not _just_ that he kissed Harry or that he had an amazing date with a guy who actually cares about his children. It’s that yesterday Louis decided he’d trust Harry with himself and, eventually, his family, and that was… Foreign. But great.

            It has been so long since Louis trusted someone that now he’s finally trying it again he feels _free_ , he feels like he’s taking control of his fate. And even though he _knows_ they’re just getting started, Louis is glad that, through Harry, he’s leaving a dark period behind.

            “Dad, dad, dad, what are we going to do today?” Nathan asks when he sees that Louis is awake enough.

            “Dunno, love”, he replies, burying his face in the pillow and having Amanda climb on his back. “Auch”, Louis fake-complains.

            “You’re not that old, dad”, she chuckles. “Are we going to see Harry?”

            “Not today, Mandy”, he replies. “We’re going to have lunch at nan’s, is that all right?” He asks and they both nod. “Uncle Stan’s coming too, so you guys will have plenty of fun”, Louis promises, ruffling his children hairs.

           

            It’s a great Sunday, if Louis says so himself. He misses Stan like crazy even though they see each other on the regular, plus, few things are as amazing as his mother’s food.

            Everyone is here: mom, Lots and her boyfriend, Stan and his wife, Louis and his kids, and they’re gathered around the table exchanging jokes and every-day stories. And it’s nice and comfortable and Louis can’t complain, really.

            He loves every bit of his life; even the struggling bits, even the shitty parts, because he is a firm believer that everything happens for a reason – that every step, and every milestone and every sunny or rainy day is there because that’s how it’s supposed to be.

            Lottie’s boyfriend has Nate on his lap and is giving him food while Stan’s got Mandy, and since Louis is already finished, he gets up from the table and makes his way to the kitchen to start on the dishes. They have a system and that is “help whoever you can, whenever you can”, which goes from the smallest things to the biggest ones. Louis lives by it.

 

            “Need help there?” Jay approaches with a serene smile on her face.

            “You can dry”, he shrugs and smiles, “how’s everything, ma?”

            “Good, my back hurts like hell, but that’s just my old age”, she chuckles and grabs the first plate. “How have you been? How was yesterday?”

            “It was…” Louis refuses to admit he sighs and blushes and his eyes shine, but that’s exactly what happens. “It was wonderful.” _Harry’s wonderful_. “Except for, well- the Aaron part. But even that turned out okay.”

            “Mandy says Harry picked them up with you and took them out…?”

            “Yeah.” He smiles. “The kids really like him.” Louis tells her a bit more worriedly.

            “That’s great, isn’t it?” Jay frowns.

            “Well. Yes. I think.”

            He doesn’t say more about it, because he’s still wrapping his mind around a lot of things. For example, by now his kids don’t understand what’s going on. They’re still _kids_. They think Harry’s their dad’s coolest friend from work and is going to be in their lives for a long, long time.

            They think Harry can come and play with them out of the blue one of these days and that Louis going out with him is amazing, because that means they’ll see Harry at the end of the day. They don’t know Louis is scared shitless of falling head over hills with Harry Styles, who is his _boss_ , and definitely not _just_ a friend.

            They don’t know that Louis is terrified that Harry’s interest in him will last for a short period of time, just until he moves on to the next new thing because Harry is young, hot and rich.

            They don’t know that Louis threw caution to the wind when he kissed Harry and let himself be kissed, and they don’t know that now this is all Louis can think about as he finishes washing the last forks and knives when Stan brings them to the kitchen after they’re fed.

            And generally, whenever Louis thinks about dating again, the kids are his only concern. This time, Louis is very worried about himself too. And that says a lot about everything, doesn’t it?

 

            “Hey, Jay, you mind if I steal Lou for a little?” His childhood friend asks.  

            “Sure, take him.”

            “Thanks, mother”, Louis snorts, earning a slap on the shoulder.

            “I got the twins, go out with Stan.”

            “Won’t go far”, Stan says, “just walk around.”

            Louis feels like he’s fifteen again, and it’s great to know that some things never change. (Except that, well, he’s not fifteen anymore and has got two kids of his own.)

            “Hey, babies, I’m gonna walk around with uncle Stan real quick, okay?” He warns them, entering the living room and they’re all too entertained to pay attention to him. “Nathan. Amanda.” He calls and Lottie laughs.

            “Oh, hi dad!” Mandy waves from Tommy’s – Lottie’s boyfriend – back and Nate just looks at him.

            “I’m gonna walk around with uncle Stan, be back.”

            “Kaaay!”

            “Gimme a kiss, Amanda”, he rolls his eyes and walks towards her, who bends down to kiss him on the cheek. “Bye, Nate”, he walks towards him and kisses his forehead, but his son is currently more focused on the cartoon on TV than whatever Louis is saying.

 

-

           

            **Did my dad take you for advice to meetings around the country?** Harry’s text reads and he chuckles.

            **_No_** , Louis answers and pockets his phone again.     

            He and Stan wound up at the same place they always do: the soccer pitch behind their old high school. Everyone used to prefer football at their age, and then the same during college, but both Louis and Stan always found soccer much more interesting and simple to understand, if they’re being honest.

            They don’t have a ball this time, and actually Louis doesn’t think they’ve played soccer together since January, which is bad, because he misses it.

            “Is that your boss slash boyfriend texting?” His friend asks.

            “ _Not_ my boyfriend”, Louis shoves him on the shoulder and rolls his eyes. “But yes, it’s Harry.”

            “How was your date yesterday?”

            “You and mom are like two old ladies, you know that?” Louis chuckles. “Why don’t you ask me about something else going on in my life, uh?”

            “Well… Have you got anything else going on in your life worthy talking about?” Stan shoves him back.

            No, Louis doesn’t.

            “Shut up.” Is what he answers.

            His phone buzzes again.

            **I have to brief Chicago on Thursday. I’m scared. Come with me.**

“What’s that?” Stan puts his head over Louis’ shoulder.

            “Harry’s got a meeting in Chicago this week… Wants me to go with him.” Louis voices weakly.

            He’s already told Stan about how they got close to each other. He may have also told him how brave he thinks Harry is and how amazingly he’s been dealing with the company since his father died. Louis may have gushed enough about him for Stan to ask him already knowing the answer.

            “D’you want to go?”

            “Yeah.”

            “So, say you’ll go.” He answers simply.

            “I can’t.” Louis doesn’t even have time to _sigh_ as Stan replies to him again.

            “Course you can. I can watch the twins, Angie’s gonna love it.” Angela is Stan’s wife and she wants kids, like, lots of them. Stan never wanted kids of his own although he loves Louis’s to death. He doesn’t know how they’re gonna solve this, but that’s not the problem right now.

            “They have school, and you live in _New Jersey_.”

            “They’re four and a half; they sure as hell can miss a few days of school, Louis.” His friend rolls his eyes.

            Louis isn’t used to having things this easily, is the thing. And this seems too easy. Plus, what the hell does this trip even entail? Where are Louis and Harry at in this thing they’re doing? _What_ is it that they’re doing? So many fucking questions. Harry isn’t a guy he picked up at a bar. Louis works _for_ Harry. Louis has children. Harry is, supposedly, _so_ out of his league…

            Nothing makes sense to him, which sucks a lot, because Louis is the kind of person who needs to _know_. He doesn’t play with the gray area anymore. It’s either black or white with him. He wishes he could be one of those people who just go with the flow, but he can’t, not when there’s so much at stake, not when he’s already flown super close to the sun and got burned.

            (So, okay, maybe it isn’t easy at all. It would be easier if he knew, if he could _not_ think and overthink and then think again about every decision he makes in his life. But here he is.)

            “Do it, Lou. Do it carefully, but do it.” Stan says again, encouraging him.

            “If I do it, it’ll be for all the wrong reasons”, he tells Stan.

            “So what?”

            “It isn’t _right_ , Stan.”

            “ _So what?_ ”

            Louis sighs.

            **_When are we traveling?_** He texts Harry back. Well then, here’s to exploring the unknown.

 

-

 

            Harry and Louis spend the next few days preparing a kick ass presentation for the Chicago office. Harry _is_ entitled to be really scared of them, because most of those people worked for his father at the beginning of everything – which is the main reason why he is going there himself and not doing this via skype.

            It’s very nice the way they act around each other. Harry doesn’t come on too strong and Louis appreciates that, but every now and then his boss looks at him with such intensity in his eyes that Louis doesn’t know how to react.

            “Where are the kids going to stay?” Harry asks on Wednesday during lunch.

            Niall came in for a visit and had enough food for the three of them, almost like he _knew_ Harry has lunch with Louis every day now. Well, maybe he does.

            “Stan’s”, he answers, “gonna take them there tonight since we’re traveling so early tomorrow.”

            “I’m gonna send a company car to pick you up and take you to the airport.”

            “I can take the bus, Harry, it’s fine”, Louis says.

            “Why on earth would you do that?” Niall asks, mouthful of his burger. “Take the car, man.”

            “Louis likes being difficult”, Harry smirks.

            “ _Louis_ doesn’t like unnecessary measures when he’s very capable of using public transportation.” He speaks of himself in the third person and Niall laughs.

            “You need to be at the airport at eight, traffic is hell around JFK in the morning”, Harry ponders.           

            “This is New York, traffic is hell at any hour of any day.”

            “See, _difficult_ ”, Harry pretends to whisper to Niall making his friend laugh.

            “’S why you like him”, Niall does the same and Louis looks down, trying to hide his blush.

            Niall is actually one of the coolest people Louis has ever met, and as their lunchtime comes to an end, he promises to go out for drinks with him and other friends of Harry’s one of these days. Secretly, what makes him happier is that Harry’s not hiding him from his friends, even if they’ve only gone on two dates by now.

            And this is weird, to think that they’re only beginning. Every day, every lunch seems like a date to Louis. They flirt unabashedly and unapologetically when they’re in their own little world. They already _have_ their own little world. And Louis likes it a lot.

 

-

 

            “How long are you staying away, daddy?” Amanda asks when he’s about to say goodbye.

            “Not even two days, baby, I’ll be back on Friday and am going to pick you guys up first thing.” He smiles. Harry gave him Friday off since they’re coming back from the trip.

            “Okay”, she answers. “Gonna miss you, daddy.”

            “Me too, baby”, Louis softens. “Be good to uncle Stan and aunt Angela, okay?” He asks. “And take care of your brother for me.”

            “I will take care of her, dad”, Nate says and Louis chuckles.

            “You take care of each other, okay?” He asks and his kids nod. Louis loves them so, so much. He doesn’t know how it all fits in his chest. “I love you both.” Louis says and hugs them.

            He _knows_ it’s just one day and a half, but he’s never traveled without them before. He doesn’t think he’s ever left New York after they were born. He’s a bit emotional.

            Amanda and Nathan say their _I love yous_ to Louis too and with that he says bye to the couple who’s going to watch them, hugging his friends and totally not rolling his eyes when Stan wishes him _good luck with Harry_. Louis doesn’t need luck. He needs to get a grip.

 

            Thursday morning is chaotic, to say the least. He wakes up with the company car honking in front of his house and realizes he completely slept through his alarm – God knows _how_ , because that’s never happened – and he stumbles out of the house wearing sweatpants, a jumper and a beanie to hide the disastrous state of his hair. He just hopes he’ll have time to make it a little better before the meeting.

            “Good morning, Mr. Tomlinson”, the driver says as soon as he enters the car.

            “Fuck’s sake, call me Louis, Joffrey”, he laughs when he takes his seat on the passenger side.

            “You’re supposed to be in the back, you know?” The man smiles.

            “As if I’m that entitled”, Louis answers him. “Fuck, I need coffee”, he rubs his face and looks in the mirror. Why did he sleep so much? Jesus.

            “Here you go”, Joffrey hands him a Starbucks Mocha Latte. “Boss’s orders.” He winks.

            “Harry doesn’t exist.” He doesn’t realize he says it out loud until Joffrey laughs. “Thanks, by the way.”

            “Welcome.” And he’s still smiling, but Louis doesn’t say anything else.

            Traffic is, indeed, horrible. He texts Harry thanking him for the coffee and saying that he’s on his way. Harry, who lives further away from the airport, is already arriving, according to his text, and says Louis has nothing to thank him for.

            The ride is awkward, to say the least, because Joffrey eyes Louis suspiciously every time they stop at a red light, and Louis doesn’t know what to do to end this. He knows the driver because they’ve been working for the same company for years now, but they’re not friends, per se, and even if they were, Louis wouldn’t be able to say anything.

            Louis knows he can’t answer Joffrey’s unasked question, because he himself doesn’t have an answer yet. He also knows how this will all look for Harry and for himself, and he doesn’t want to screw their reputations. It’s tricky, he knows. But then he arrives at JFK, exits the car and meets Harry at an obnoxious VIP area and it all seems worth it when he smiles.

            _Fuck, his smile_.       

            “Morning”, Louis says and yawns right after, hiding his face in his hands.

            “G’Morning, Lou”, the curly one replies and hugs him by the waist. “You smell good.” He says in his ear.

            “I smell like sleep”, he laughs in Harry’s chest and hugs him tighter. The great part about being here is that 1) there are few people around; 2) no one actually knows who they are, so there’s no one to judge.

            “Like I said: you smell good”, Harry whispers and kisses him, in the middle of the room. Louis’ body melts before he can even think and- _why_ would he think anyways?

            This is a morning kiss, something they hadn’t shared up until now. This is a softer than soft kiss, a kiss that makes Louis weak on the knees and the heart, a kiss that makes him forget his own name, so perfect it is.

            Harry opens his mouth and doesn’t stop hugging him for one second, sliding his tongue with Louis’ as slowly and heavily as he can. Their eyes are closed and their bodies are connected from head to toe and this all feels so, so intimate. Louis wishes he could stay in this moment forever.

            “Good morning, Harry”, he says to Harry’s lips, pecking them again and again and again.

            “You’ve already said that”, Harry smiles and kisses his nose.

            “It’s just- a really good morning”, Louis answers and Harry hugs him again. The chaos from when Louis woke up is gone now. He’s in Harry’s arms.

 

-

 

            Harry knows Louis has never traveled first class before, but that’s all Harry’s known – which’s another proof that they come from completely different worlds, but Harry couldn’t care less, not when Louis’ says _this is all too much_ with his eyes shining when they’re offered a killer breakfast as soon as the plane levels in the air.

            “Are you planning on going to the meeting with this outfit?” Harry asks. “Because if so, I approve, you’ll break standards”, he chuckles.

            “No, you idiot”, Louis answers, mouth full of pancakes. “I slept through my alarm, don’t know why, and woke up with Joffrey honking in front of my place.”

            “That must’ve been funny.”

            “Not really, it was awkward, like he knew we are… You know.” He says and puts more eggs in his mouth.

            No, Harry doesn’t know, but he wants to find out so, so badly.

            “And what did you say?”

            “Nothing, which’s why it was awkward.” He winks.

            Harry watches Louis’ profile and thinks for a little bit. This probably isn’t the best time to bring this up, nor is it the place. But they’re going to be together this entire day and tomorrow morning, and Harry doesn’t know how long he’ll be able to wait till he breaks, so he might as well get this out of this way so all he needs to think about the next few hours is the meeting in Chicago.

            “I was… Scared, of us, at first”, he tells Louis and that catches his attention, because he turns to Harry frowning, leaving his toast on the plate. “I didn’t want to become an office cliché just because I couldn’t keep it in my pants, you know?” He asks and Louis nods.

            “This makes sense”, the man answers weakly.

            “But we’ve—we’ve already established that we like each other, yeah? And- and I hope you know that I really mean it when I say that I like you- that I’m- I’m so into you it’s ridiculous, really”, he laughs and Louis blushes, softening a bit.

            “Well I’m- glad.”

            “Me too”, Harry smiles despite himself. “So, I asked you out anyway, I took a risk anyway and it payed off because you’re… Really worth it, I reckon”, he looks down, not meeting Louis’ eyes. “I’m sorry it was awkward with Joffrey and you were right not saying anything. This is really really new and so very ours”, he catches Louis’ hand. Louis squeezes it back. “If there’s ever a problem at the office we’ll deal with it, and if it becomes gossip I’ll set the record straight, put out an announcement like _YES, I AM DATING LOUIS TOMLINSON_. But for now… For now… It’s good that’s just between you and me.”

            Louis nods.

            “So, just to make it clear, while we’re on this plane about to go on a board meeting… You’re _dating_ Louis Tomlinson?” The other man smiles. Ridiculous. Ridiculous and gorgeous.

            “Well, that is if Louis Tomlinson is okay with it.”

            “He is.”

            “Okay, then.”

            “Okay.” And grabs his juice.

            “Okay.”

            “Okay is _not_ going to be our always, Harry, don’t try and make this happen”, Louis mocks him referring to one of their lunches. Harry doesn’t hide he cried watching _the fault in our stars_ ; Louis doesn’t hide that he absolutely hates the movie.

            “What will be our _always_ , then?” Harry fake-whines.

            “Don’t know. Stick around and you’ll find out.” He shrugs and focuses back on his breakfast.

            _Yeah, I plan on it_ , Harry answers in his mind.

 

            They arrive in Chicago at eleven am and it’s almost noon when they manage to exit the airport, because there was a mix up with the car that went to pick them up. Still, they have enough time to stop at Harry’s apartment to drop their things and for Louis to change his clothes.

            “I should’ve known you’d have an apartment here too”, Louis jokes when they enter Harry’s penthouse in Gold Coast.

            “It’s my dad’s too… The only place I actually bought is in Cali.” He makes it clear, but he thinks Louis knows it and is just making fun of him for his money, because that’s his defense mechanism, Harry’s noticed.

            “Well, it’s _yours_ now, isn’t it?” He asks and Harry nods. “So.” Louis smiles. “Is there, uhn, anywhere I can change into something more fitting for the meeting?”

            “Y-yeah, sure”, Harry smiles and shows him to a guest bedroom. “I’ll be in the living room- d’you want to eat something?”

            “’M still full from the plane to be honest”, Louis tells him. “We can grab something after the meeting? Maybe?”

            “Perfect!” Harry smiles and exits the room.

 

            It turns out it’s not perfect at all. What was supposed to be a two-hour max brief meeting became a four-hour never-ending discussion about products and stores and sponsorships.

            Harry’s father’s pioneer partners want to bring models into the business and use them as advertisement for the company, because they think that’s the way to go, but Harry doesn’t like it, which turns into an even bigger issue because _“what does a twenty five year old knows about it?”._

            “I’d say a lot…” Louis says surprising everyone, but not Harry.

            By now he kind of expects Louis to come to his rescue because that’s just who he is. That’s one of the reasons Harry likes him so much: he’s trustworthy, he’s always there when Harry needs it, he’s someone Harry can rely on. Harry hasn’t met many people – or anyone – like him in his life.

            “I mean, Harry’s been watching his father since the company started, right?” He asks. “Harry’s twenty five, the company’s about to turn twenty five…”

            “I’m sorry, who are you?” One of the gray-haired men asks.

            “Louis Tomlinson, he was my dad’s executive assistant and is now mine.”

            “Strange, I don’t remember Des having an executive assistant much less bringing him to meetings…” Another man says.

            “That’s because Louis held down the fort in New York whenever dad had to leave his post.” Harry’s quick to answer.

            “I just think that you should stop and think of what _Styles Cosmetics_ is about”, Louis continues unfazed. “In twenty five years the company has never used models or actresses to advertise its brand because the idea was to make ordinary people extraordinary. All of your campaigns have always used every day girls to go on TV, girls who actually love the brand and usually don’t even have money to buy something from it…”

            “Okay… Continue.” Harry thinks it’s Gina who talks right now. She’s slightly younger than everyone, must be in her late thirties. She’s less judgmental when it comes to Harry than everyone else.

            “Harry said that his favorite part of the company is the fact that it doesn’t need someone like Gigi Hadid to stay in the market…”

            “And we don’t”, Harry talks, agreeing with him. “Look, my dad never seemed to want someone famous to represent us on TV and billboards, and if I am to follow his footsteps, which’s what you lot want, I don’t think I can approve of it.”

            “It’s not like we _need_ your approval, we can put it to vote.”

            “I’m still fifty one percent of this company”, Harry shrugs, actually scared shitless that the other forty-nine percent turn against him.

            “Look…” Louis starts again. “Being, uhn, attainable to the public is what differs _Styles Cosmetics_ from other cosmetic companies… And that’s a good thing.”

            The discussion continues for a while. They present online charts about what they think would be better and use all kinds of companies to compare: Maybelline, Pantene, L’Oréal, Mac and so on.  But, at the end, when it’s five o’clock in the afternoon and Louis and Harry managed to contradict every single one of their arguments, they are finally done.

            Harry thinks they should get a prize for it, really. It wasn’t easy, especially because of the way they were being treated. And, yes, it’s true that Harry never wanted anything to do with his father’s empire, but just because he didn’t want to be a businessman it does _not_ mean he wants to bankrupt the company or that he won’t do everything in his recently acquired power to make sure it stays as truthful as it is possible in this world.

            So yeah, they’re very tired, but mainly, very freaking _hungry_ as they exit the _Styles Cosmetics_ office in Chicago.

            There’s a car waiting for them on the sidewalk and Harry watches Louis practically run towards it and sigh loudly when he is finally able to drop his body on the backseat and close his eyes in peace. Harry doesn’t say a word to him, respecting the silence that is much needed, and quietly gives the driver instructions to the best pizza parlor in town.

 

-

 

            “ _Fuuuck this is so good”_ , Louis practically moans around the pizza. Harry smiles triumphantly, because he _knows_. “Jesus, why don’t they make pizza like this in New York?”

            “I don’t know”, Harry chuckles. “Niall was actually the one who discovered this place, like, ten years ago.”

            “Isn’t Niall from New York?” 

            “Yeah, it was a summer break and I was at dad’s… He needed to come here and dragged us with him. We walked around town while he was at a meeting and I complained a lot, so Ni googled _best pizza in Chicago_ and we wound up here.” He smiles telling the story. “Thinking back now, I guess I was better off waiting for dad to finish meetings instead of being in them.”

            “Yeah, I can imagine”, Louis offers. “Can’t say I’m sad it’s over.” He tells Harry and grabs one more slice. Harry does the same. It’s _really_ good. He’s in his third. “But it went okayish, right? At the end, I mean.”

            “It went brilliantly, Lou. You were brilliant.” Let the records show that Louis Tomlinson blushes again because of Harry Styles.

            “Yeah, don’t know about me…” He says softly. “But you were amazing as well. I don’t know why you were scared, H, you were so well-prepared. ‘M so proud.”

            It’s Harry’s turn to blush.

            “Maybe I just wanted you here.” Harry winks.

            “I… Am okay with that, I think.”

            “That’s good.” He smiles. “Can we be done with work for today?” Harry asks and grabs Louis’ free hand over the table, taking him by surprise. “Can we just—like, be us now?”

            Louis smiles and takes Harry’s hand, kissing it softly and giving him a firm not.

            “ _Just us_ sounds really good.” He assures him. “I just- I need to call the kids first.”

            “Please. Do it.” Harry opens a big smile. “Tell them I said hi, yeah?”

            “Harry, you… You know that they think you’re my coolest friend and that they’ll see you again and again and again, yeah?” Louis asks and- _yes_ , Harry knows. He just nods. “This is me giving you an out, H”, he chuckles. “In the middle of a pizza parlor in Chicago of all places I am giving you an out. This can just, you know, be a thing between two adults, you don’t—”

            “Have to deal with your children?” Harry completes the sentence with a nod. “I am not an idiot, Lou. I know how attached kids get to people, I know that taking them to do nice things, keeping their drawings and saying _hi_ to their dad gives them the idea that I will stick around. Which is exactly why I’m doing it”, he smiles.

            “Now, you don’t have to tell them I said anything”, Harry continues. Louis is frozen on his spot with his cellphone in hands. “This can go at your pace, because I’m sure it’s tricky and- hard, to date someone when you have so much to worry about. But I’m not taking any out you ever give me, okay? I don’t _need_ an out and I honestly do not want it”, he smiles. He’ll tell Louis he’s always wanted a bunch of kids when the time comes. This is not the time yet.

            Louis only nods and excuses himself to go make a call. Harry takes care of their bill and waits patiently outside the restaurant till Louis comes back. He’s got a smile on his face and is warmer than ever when he hugs Harry from his back and kisses his neck, whispering in his ear that _they said hi back._

 

-

 

            It’s the end of April and still very cold in Chicago. The city is beautiful at night. It isn’t raining, which is a plus, but Louis has always preferred summer for some reason.

            Harry asked if they could walk back to the apartment and Louis was quick to say yes, he just didn’t know how long of a walk that would be. They’ve been walking for twenty minutes now, but that’s okay. Harry’s holding his hand and although this is a simple act, it feels big; bigger than anything they’ve done so far.

            The CEO is telling him about his early childhood and how much he liked to play hide and seek in some of Chicago’s parks and how his mother would always go crazy trying to find him.

            “I can imagine small curly Harry giving poor Anne a headache…” Louis chuckles and looks at him.

            In the moonlight, Harry’s even paler; his eyes even greener; everything about him even more inviting, if it’s possible.

            “My hair was actually very straight when I was a kid, and kind of blond?”

            “No way!”

            “Yes”, Harry laughs, “I have pictures to prove, or mom has.” He stops to think. “My hair started getting curly around the time I was nine, I think. By fourteen I was the weirdest guy around.”

            “I highly doubt it.”

            “I swear, I was so weird, Louis”, he chuckles.

            “Puberty did you well then”, Louis smiles looking up at him.

            Louis never liked feeling short and Aaron always reminded him of how much taller he was, but in a way that made Louis feel less of a _person_ because of it. And Louis used to think this was something that was wrong with _him_ , like, feeling this way because of someone else’s joke, but maybe… Maybe it was just the way Aaron used to say it.

            Right now Harry’s dropped his hand and is hugging him by the shoulders, making Louis cuddle even closer as they walk together, and yes, Louis feels small, but in the best way. He feels like this is how he’s supposed to be just so he can fit in Harry’s arm like this.

            “Puberty did me a miracle”, Harry laughs.

            “I kinda love your curly hair, don’t ever cut it”, Louis tells him, feeling the chilly air on his face.

            “Never? I’ll be like Rapunzel!”

            “I’ll braid it”, he promises and Harry giggles, kissing him on the mouth.

            They stop on the sidewalk just so they can feel each other for a while longer. Louis kisses him deeper, dragging his tongue against Harry’s and raising his hands to his nape. His fingers are cold against Harry’s hot skin, and that provokes a shudder on the other man. He loves it.

            Harry tilts his head for better access and Louis makes himself a bit taller by raising himself on the balls of his feet, kissing Harry with more intent, crazy in everything-Harry. Harry tightens his arms around Louis’ waist, and a small whimper comes out of Louis mouth straight into Harry’s. He loves this kind of kiss, and he hasn’t had it in forever.

            “We should go inside, it’s getting colder”, Harry whispers to his mouth and then drags his lips to Louis’ cheek, planting a wet kiss right there.

            “Oh, we’re here?” He asks and looks around. “We’re here.” Louis smiles. “Lead the way, curly.” He says and waits, but Harry pulls him by the hand again, and they walk side by side towards the elevator.

 

            The day finally catches up to Louis when they enter the apartment. He’s cold and he’s tired and he’s feeling disgusting. He needs a shower right away and tells Harry so, who agrees with him and says he’ll do the same, but when Louis comes back to the living room, after spending fifteen minutes under hot water – _God bless hot water_ –, Harry’s still sitting on the couch, wearing nothing but dress pants, hair a bit messed up and eyes glued to a photograph on the coffee table.

            Louis doesn’t know if he should approach, maybe he needs space, but Louis is a _father_ , he is conditioned to hug people when they’re looking miserable, to hug them better and tell them everything is going to be okay. Plus, Harry seems to be crying a little.

            So he walks towards him, sits by his side and asks-

            “H, what’s going on?”

            “I miss my dad”, he sighs and then looks at Louis. “We weren’t- like, the closest people, you know? But—but he was a good father, Louis. The best he could and I… I didn’t even have time to _miss him_ , you know?”

            Louis nods and scoots closer. Harry drops his head to his shoulder and Louis caresses his hair kissing his forehead sweetly.

            “I was in Australia and I got a call that he had died and I had to come back for his funeral. I was so fucking jetlagged, it was terrible, I was only half awake, and mom was literally keeping me standing as they lowered his casket…” He tells him. “I didn’t stay for whatever there was after, just slept for almost twenty hours. I woke up with my dad’s lawyer calling and saying that I needed to be present for a skype meeting with a branch in China in a few hours. After the meeting he told me I was the one who’d take over the company. And that was it.”

            “Oh, H…”

            “And it’s like— _so_ unfair”, he continues. “I just… I came here and I miss my dad and it all sucks a whole lot, but also- _you’re_ here and that’s amazing, so I shouldn’t be complaining.”

            Harry’s the cutest, really.

            “You’re such a good thing, Lou”, he says, “you have no idea. I don’t even know how I’d be here without you, really. I’d probably have bankrupted the company by now”, he chuckles and cleans his eyes.

            “No, you wouldn’t”, Louis smiles and touches his cheek with the back of his hand, caressing it ever so softly. “I just gave you a little push. It was all in you, you dork.” They both laugh weakly and Harry turns to kiss him quickly. “It’s okay to miss your dad, and if you want to cry, I’m here you know?”

            “I do”, he smiled. “But I think I should probably shower, yeah?”

            “ _Probably_ ”, Louis smiles. “D’you have tea here?” He asks.

            “I… Don’t know? Haven’t been here in forever.”

            “I’m gonna look in the cabinets and make us some while you shower, if- if that’s okay.”

            “Thought you were a coffee person?” Harry asks getting up.

            “I am. But my mom says tea is calming…”

            “Moms know best”, Harry smiles his goofy smile, and Louis gets that he’s better, only if a bit. Maybe he just needed to voice his thoughts to someone who actually cared. Sometimes that’s all a person needs.         

 

-

           

            Louis is pouring Harry some tea – the only package that was within its expiration date – when he feels strong arms hugging him from behind. Harry’s scent invades his nostrils and Louis sags into his body, turning around to kiss him properly, his back to the counter.

            “Tea’s ready”, he whispers against the other man’s mouth.

            “But I want you.” Harry whispers back.

            Harry kisses him slowly, deeply. This time there’s no risk a coworker is coming in, there are no kids around and they have nowhere to be, it’s just them.

            It doesn’t take long for the kiss to get heated, though. Harry presses more firmly against him and Louis stifles a moan into his mouth, hands tightening in his curls, hips bucking up to meet Harry’s and Louis is brought back to the night they made out on his couch, when all he wanted was to take their clothes off and finally give in to his desires.

            However, he can’t. Not yet, at least. It’s been a long, long time, and it is one thing to feel Harry’s dick getting hard through their clothes, but it’s another one, completely different, to actually have sex with him when the last time Louis had sex with anyone that mattered was… Oh. Years ago.

            And, you see, Louis is a big boy – he’s a full grown man who is more than confident in bed, this is _not_ the problem. The problem is the emotional load that comes with it all; the emotional load that comes with Harry and everything that Harry is.

            The problem is Louis throwing caution to the wind and letting himself fall for him. The problem is knowing that good things don’t really last, that he is a _father_ and Harry’s _subordinate_ and that the latter is the only thing allowing him to take proper – even if not always so good – care of his kids.

            Harry presses closer, if such thing is possible. And despite all the overthinking, Louis is hard too. _Of course he is_. He’s twenty-nine and a fit man is grinding on him, biting his bottom lip, roaming his hands through his body and it’s all _too much_ , but too much doesn’t seem to be enough and _fuckfuckfuck._

“Harry, we- can’t.” He says, breath labored, and places both of his hands on Harry’s chest. Harry steps away immediately, and looks at him waiting for an answer.

            It’s difficult, since Harry looks more sinful than Louis has ever seen him. His pupils are blown, his lips are swollen, and Louis just wants to _take him_ – right here, right now.

            “If we- if we do this then…” He can’t say it, but he needs Harry to understand.

            He doesn’t.

            “I don’t read minds, Lou.” He voices. “Communicate.” Harry tries to smile. It’s not very confident, but it’s there.

            “I…” He always around him, grabs his tea and goes into the living room, sipping from the mug while he tries to organize his thoughts. “I might be starting to have some, uh, real feelings for you?” Louis chuckles nervously. “And we’ve been together, what? One month? If that. And it’s just—it’s been a long time, since I…”

            “If you want to take this slowly then all you have to do is say, yeah?” Harry sits by his side. “I understand where you’re coming from.”

            “Yeah, sure. The problem is… I _don’t_ want to take this slowly.” Louis laughs. “But I also don’t want to scare you off.”

            “That makes two of us then.” Harry scoots closer. “I want so much, Lou.” He confesses, eyes focused on Louis’ own. “Sometimes I think I want too much too soon of everything, to be honest, but you… I don’t think I’ve ever wanted something—someone this much.”

            “Hazz…” Louis smiles, leaving his mug on the coffee table, and then they pick up from where they left off.

            This time Louis is the first one to advance. Harry wants him too, just as much. _More_ , he said so, but Louis highly doubts that.

            He straddles Harry’s thighs and sits right on his crotch, kissing him rapidly and full of passion; Harry brings both hands to Louis’ ass and massages it, rocking him forwards and backwards in his lap. Louis’ body’s on fire, he wants this man _so, so bad_. Nothing else really matters. Not when Harry is saying he doesn’t want to run, not when Louis is _so_ willing to believe him.

            It’s dangerous, he knows. It’s not the first time Harry convinces him to do something he’s so scared of doing. But he also hasn’t let him down this far. And if not now, then when? If not _Harry_ , this perfect person who seems to be so into him, then who?

            Louis doesn’t think people get this lucky twice, so he is going to enjoy it for as long as it lasts, and tonight he allows himself to do so – no worries in mind.

            He grinds down on Harry’s bulge a bit more harshly than before and Harry cuts the kiss to moan, throws his head back and closes his eyes just enjoying the feeling of Louis practically giving him a lap dance. Harry then plays with the hem of Louis’ shirt and Louis whispers _go ahead_ so he can take it off.

           

            As soon as the shirt’s on the floor, Louis attacks his neck, which is there, exposed, ready to be marked up. Louis doesn’t know if Harry’s into this kind if thing, so he starts easily.

            He French kisses it up to his earlobe and takes it into his mouth, one hand still playing with Harry’s hair, because this _really_ gets him going, and another one under his shirt, flicking his nipple. The minute Louis rolls his nubs between his thumb and forefinger Harry bucks up fast, a guttural sound escaping his throat, desperate, to say the least.

            They don’t talk much, but Louis understands him anyways. He does it again, this time with both of his hands and bites the side of Harry’s neck, pulling away with his teeth still grazing the skin.

            “ _Ah, fuck_ ”, Harry whispers, hands marking up Louis’ waist. “ _I—I don’t- ah-ah Lou, please._ ”

            “I want you so much”, Louis’ mouth grazes Harry’s ear when he whispers, his wet lips in contact with his skin. “The things I want to do with you… Harry.” He grinds down, biting back his own sounds. Louis is on the right side of desperate too.

            “Do it. Do it all, fuck”, the other man says and pulls him in by the neck. Their teeth clash, but neither cares much. Harry sucks his tongue into his mouth right away and Louis is completely lost in it – tilting his head so they can fit better and allowing Harry do lead it at his own pace.

            _“Bed”,_ Louis mumbles into his mouth, his breath already short again and his head all fuzzy with _want_.

            Harry places both hands under his thighs and makes it to get up, but falls back on the couch again.

            _“’M not that heavy, Harold”_ , he jokes in his ear.

            “No.” Harry agrees. “I’m just that hard—my legs feel like jelly.” He confesses. “What are you doing to me?” He asks, lips wet with saliva and so, so red, eyes completely unfocused.

            “Oh, but I haven’t even started yet.” Louis chuckles and gets up from the couch when he trusts his own legs again. Harry also makes him weak. “C’mon, pretty boy.” He stretches his hand and Harry grabs it.

            Louis doesn’t ever want him to let go.

            _Fuck_.

           

            As soon as they get to the bedroom, Harry is on him again. This time on top, caging Louis with his arms and legs on the bed, wicked smirk and determined expression on his face. Louis cannot wait for what they’re about to do. Whatever it is, it’s going to be _good_.

            Harry kisses him again, and Louis really, really appreciates it. He thinks many people take kissing for granted, especially during sex, but fuck if it isn’t one of his favorite things to do. And boy does Harry do it well.

            “Need this off.” Harry mumbles in his collarbones when he reaches Louis’ sweats.

            “Be my guest”, Louis smiles and brushes his fringe out of his own forehead. Harry’s eyes are glassy when he looks up at Louis again, hands on his hips, fingers moving on his belly and hipbones softly, feather-like really, making  Louis’ shiver all over.

            It’s wonderful, what Harry makes him feel with so little. The man takes off his own shirt first, staying only in his boxers, and Louis can’t help but gasp as he sees Harry’s hidden tattoos. He knew he had them, they’ve already talked about their tats before, but to actually _see them_ …

            Harry is defined, but not huge. He is _perfect_ and Louis can’t help but touch. He’s so firm _and_ soft in all the right places. He probably has the smoothest skin Louis’ has ever touched this way.

            “You’re wonderful.” Louis exhales.

            The other man smiles and starts removing the rest of Louis’ clothes too. He holds both Louis’ sweats and pants at the same time and pulls down; Louis feels his own hard dick slap against his stomach, so ready to have Harry do whatever he wants with it.

            Harry kisses his legs first, like they’re worth so, so much. His hands never stop around Louis’ body and he can’t believe this is the best sex he’s had in forever and they haven’t even fucked yet. Harry’s fingers flick both his nipples while he sucks on Louis’ left inner thigh, making Louis arch his back and gasp against his will.

            “Do something, Styles, before you kill me”, he tries to joke but his voice sounds _so_ needy and Louis is _so not_ this person.

            Harry keeps kissing him all over. He runs his lips along Louis’ hipbones while slowly making his way towards his cock. Every nerve ending in Louis’ body is craving more attention. Louis closes his eyes bracing himself for what is about to come, but he still rolls his head on the pillow and lets out a pained _oh fuck_ when Harry holds his shaft in his hand and places his mouth on his length, moving his head as he licks the sides like he just wants to get a taste.

            He’s fast, but thorough and Louis didn’t think this was a possibility up until now. When he’s had enough, he finally looks up at Louis, smirks a bit and says:

            “C’mon, you can hold my head.”

            Louis never moved _faster_ in his entire life. He grabs the side of the pillow with one hand while the other practically flies to Harry’s hair, but he doesn’t have to do anything else because Harry’s mouth is right there, again, this time enveloping his cock, sucking on his head, bobbing up and down and it’s everything at the same time that makes Louis think that he’s never ever felt such pleasure.

            _This is just a blowjob_ , he tries to calm himself down, _you’ve had many of those before_. But then Harry slows down his movements, and lets his teeth in contact with Louis’ sensitive skin for a while, that gentle, pulsating nibble making him go crazy with such perfectness.

            Harry never moves from side to side, knows that this would hurt and not in the good way. Instead, he just lets the pressure drive Louis insane, until he pulls on his hair forcefully, making Harry moan loudly, and get off Louis’ dick completely.

            The younger man’s eyes are completely glassy now and Louis doesn’t think he can _stand_ looking at him much more or he’ll come, so he brings him up and kisses him again, feeling his own taste in Harry’s tongue and not caring much, just enjoying the feeling.

            Harry grabs his shaft one more time and increases pressure, and Louis doesn’t think he’ll last much longer, so he moves his own hand without trouble to Harry’s pants, whines into Harry’s mouth and frees Harry’s cock.

            _“Shit”_ , Harry says and kisses down his jaw and neck as Louis grabs him into his hand.

            “You’re so big”, Louis says in his ear when he strokes him the first time. Harry is heavy and hot and wet in his hand, and he’s everywhere around him and this is the best feeling in the entire freaking world.

            Louis is so turned on it’s ridiculous, and Harry gives up kissing him when Louis runs his thumb over his head, collecting precome and using it for a better slide of his hand. Harry’s wanking him, he’s wanking Harry, and Harry’s just absolutely lost in the moment, just as Louis, moaning in the crook of his neck and shuddering everytime Louis applies more pressure on the head.

            They’re like two teenagers now but fuck it if Louis’ care. He lets Harry thrust onto him, their cocks sliding against each other, their hands bumping into one another, then finally, _finally_ Harry slaps his hand away, taking them both in his own, and _yes,_ this is totally what Louis was aiming for.

            He places one hand on Harry’s bum, squeezing it, and another one on his shoulder blade, holding onto him like a lifeline. Harry’s restless. He strokes them at a fast pace and Louis actually _feels_ their precomes mixing between their bodies and risks a slap on Harry’s ass just because. _That_ makes Harry’s body stiffen.

            _“Again”_ , Harry says lowly, almost like he’s ashamed of asking.

            “You liked it, love, didn’t you?” Louis asks in his ear. “Liked it when I slapped you?”

            “Uhn”, Harry says, and then opens his mouth on Louis’ neck, his tongue alternating with his quick nibbles, and hand still on their cocks.

            Louis hits him again, without force. Just another quick slap.

            “ _Lou”_ , he moans.

            “Can’t wait to ride you”, Louis says, “your cock’s so perfect.” Another slap. “Gonna ride you so-- _oh_ go-od, H.” He tells him, his own voice failing at the end. He’s so, so close.

            He brings both hands to Harry’s ass now, massaging his cheeks and rocking Harry forwards so they can both reach their climaxes. Louis thinks he will implode if he spends five more minutes without coming.

            Harry focuses on the task at hand, literally, and he finds strength in him to kiss Louis again, fondling with his balls with his free hands. It’s when Harry bites his bottom lip while squeezing their heads in his hand that Louis comes without any warning – the release just hits him and he’s suddenly trembling all over, a high-pitched tone to his voice while he moans Harry’s name.

            Harry keeps stroking him through it and keeps working on himself.

            “So, so good for me”, Louis manages to say, spreading Harry’s cheeks, “think I—I wanna fuck you- too”, he tells him.

            “Want that”, Harry mumbles. Louis gently pushes Harry away and puts him on his back.

            Harry goes easily, his hair all disheveled and beautiful and dark in contrast with the white sheets, and Louis can’t help but _adore_ him.

            He takes Harry’s dick in his hand again and wanks him one more time, mouth on his chest, sucking one nipple and nibbling on it and around it.

            “Think I wanna do it from behind”, he says appreciatively and Harry just whimpers as he thrusts up into Louis’ hand, who just stops firmly around his dick, letting him fuck himself in it. “Gonna hold our hands behind your back”, Louis says, making his way up to Harry’s ear, “make you count each time I thrust into you.”

            “ _A-ahh”_ Harry responds, eyes closed, completely lost in it.

            “If you miss a count”, Louis tells him, in his ear, “’m gonna slap you hard.”

            _“Please.”_ Harry voices.

            “But only if it’s not on purpose.” He ponders, and then takes a deep breath so he himself doesn’t get hard again.

            Harry is almost there. His dick is so red it looks _angry_ , and he just needs _one more push_ , Louis thinks.

            “If you miss a count on purpose just so I will slap you…” He tells him. “Then I’ll stop fucking you and won’t let you come at all.” He smirks and Harry screams.

            _He. Screams._ And then he comes all over Louis’ hand and his own stomach, riding out the longest orgasm Louis has ever seen in his life – he’s not even kidding.

            Harry’s something else. _Something great_ , Louis thinks.

           

            He lets the man breathe and kisses his forehead before he moves towards the bathroom to get a cloth to clean them up. He wets it a bit and goes back to the room feeling extremely tired himself – this entire day seeming unreal now that he is here with his boss. Jesus.

            Harry’s eyes are still closed when Louis cleans him up, and he thinks Harry took it a bit differently than he did, so he goes to the kitchen and brings back water, gently making Harry drink at least half of the bottle.

            “You okay there?” Louis asks.

            “Yeah.” Harry answers.

            “Come here”, he opens his arms and Harry goes easily, resting his head on Louis’ chest. “Are you really okay?”

            “Bit fuzzy.” He confesses and blushes. Harry doesn’t look into Louis’ eyes and that bothers him.

            “Look at me.” Louis asks. He does it, but his cheeks get even redder. “You are perfect.” He says easily.

            “I’m not weird?” Harry checks.

            “Cause you have a kink?” He raises an eyebrow and the other man nods sheepishly. “No. I quite like it.”

            “Yeah?”

            “Yeah.” He smiles. “And I can do it both ways, whatever you want to. It all depends on the mood.”

            “I think so too.”

            “You are perfect.” Louis repeats.

            “So are you.” Harry answers. “I don’t think I’ve ever come this hard before.” He then confesses.

            “Hopefully you’ll be saying that next time, too.” Louis smirks. “We’re gonna explore this thing till we both have the best sex of our lives.” _Not that this wasn’t_ it _already_.

            “Can’t wait.”

            “Me neither.” Louis pecks his mouth. They’re both very lazy with sleep right now.

            “Hey, Lou?”

            “Hm…”

            “Remember what- what you said, about—feelings?”

            “Yes…?”

            “I might be starting to have some real feelings for you, too.” He says. “Actually, no- scratch that. I already do. I’m kinda ahead of you in the feeling department”, Harry smiles and Louis feels it against his skin. “I hope that’s okay. Even if it’s been such little time.”

            “It is.” Louis allows.

            “So please catch up with me, okay?” He asks and hugs Louis tighter by his waist.

            “I will.” Louis runs his fingers through Harry’s mess of a hair and thinks that it won’t take him much more to be _completely_ gone.

            Right now, Louis isn’t scared.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you next week <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is really hard for me to write "fluff", but I promise you I AM TRYING so hard! Your response to this has been amazing, and I swear to God it keeps me going!
> 
> Thank you a zillion times <3

 

 

            Harry practically cries when he wakes up before six am on Friday. It’s _so damn early_. Their flight is at seven thirty and he _knows_ they need to go to the airport, but he can’t help but stare at Louis for at least five more minutes.

            He studies the other man’s features and lets his mind travel to a future in which he gets to do this every morning. This is the first time Harry’s ever thought something like that not only related to Louis, but to _anyone_.

            When growing up, people used to say he was a bit soft. _You know Harry Styles? He’s such a gentleman, so sensitive_ , they would say. But the truth is: Harry Styles never really fell in love. He never knew what it was like to have fireworks exploding when kissing someone at seventeen and never promised to love his first boyfriend through all eternity.        

            Still, it isn’t difficult to recognize what falling in love feels like. Not when he smiles just by watching Louis breathe; not when his heart beats erratically remembering last night; not when he wants to do _this_ for as long as he can; not when it’s been one month and Harry can’t take this man out of his mind.

            “It is really creepy to stare at people while they sleep.” Comes Louis raspy, soft morning voice.

            “Good thing you’re not sleeping then”, Harry murmurs, brushing the fringe out of his forehead.

            Now comes the part Harry wasn’t ready for. It hits him like a truck. Louis opens his eyes. And maybe Harry’s already written quite a few poems in his mind about Louis’ eyes, maybe he’s dreamed about them and tried to describe them to his mom once or twice on the phone. _Maybe_.

            But right here, right now, in the shy light of the Chicago sun, on a Friday morning, Harry sees exactly how blue Louis’ eyes are – no overtones from other colors in the spectrum: just _blue_ , and extremely bright, energetic, _striking_ yet soft. Striking _and_ soft. Not the electric shock that paralyzes you or crawls under your muscles, but the kind that makes your blood dance, your insides move, your skin tingle.

            “Good morning.” Louis says.

            “I feel like _good morning_ isn’t enough, but let’s go with that”, he smiles and pulls Louis closer, always closer, his hand fitting perfectly on the curve of the other man’s waist.

            Louis goes easily, one hand on his chest, one by the side of his head and kisses him close mouthed, peppering his entire face with kisses and trailing to his neck, where he stops and buries his face.

            “D’you know how perfect you look in the morning?” He then asks. “Your smile and your eyes almost blinded me. You’re unfairly the most beautiful person I have ever seen.” Louis chuckles.

            “Funny, I thought the same thing”, Harry replies and kisses his temple.

            They stay like that for a while. Louis breathes him in while Harry caresses his hair, feeling the other man’s fingers trace soft patterns on his chest. _Never Wanna Leave this Bed_ by Maroon 5 comes to mind and he pulls Louis in, hugging him tighter, always tighter.

            “What are your plans for today?” He asks.

            “Uh?”

            “Your plans, for when we land in New York.”

            Louis backs away a bit, resting his head on his own pillow.

            “No plans. Gonna pick the kids up at Stan… Can you believe I miss them and I saw them not even forty-eight hours ago?” He smiles sheepishly. Harry just nods. “Yeah. Then I’ll probably take them to do something fun, since my boss said I didn’t have to go to work today…”

            “What a nice boss.”

            “He is. The best.” Louis agrees and chuckles.

            “What if…” Harry starts. He doesn’t want to overstep.

            “What if what?” Louis raises an eyebrow.

            “What if I go pick up the kids with you and we have lunch together? Then you can go do something fun.”

            “Y-you… You sure? Won’t you be too tired?” He checks. “I- they’ll love to see you.” He then looks down, his cheeks getting rosy.

            “It’s settled then”, Harry grins. “But we need to get up and get going, so, you know, we don’t miss our flight or anything.”

            “Ugh, can’t we just, like, teleport?” Louis groans, rolls on the bed dramatically.

            Harry laughs aloud, gets up, and pulls him by the ankles. (Let the records show that Louis Tomlinson has gorgeous ankles.) They take turns in the shower and get in the car that is already waiting for them, but Louis only agrees with leaving so fast because Harry _promises_ him they’ll have a great breakfast on the plane.

 

-

 

            They land in New York around nine forty am, and are on their way out of the airport at ten past ten. Joffrey texts Harry and lets him know he’s outside, so he just grabs Louis’ hand and starts walking towards the arrival exit. It’s natural. He doesn’t really think about it, and it’s not the first time. But Louis freezes nonetheless.

            “Is this okay?” Harry asks, looking between them.

            “Y-yeah”, he answers. “Feels nice.” _Foreign_ , his face says. Harry thinks that if he’s doing it anyways, it must mean something.

            Harry can’t help but think about it’s almost funny how _intimate_ holding hands feels, even after they’ve had each other’s dicks in said hands. Go figure.

            They get to the car and Joffrey is already outside to get their bags; Louis drops his boss’s hand at light speed and moves to the back of the car, not letting the driver get his own bag. When Joffrey opens the back door, Harry waits for him to go in, but he never does.

            “Lou?” He asks.

            “I’m sorry, Hazz, I just—I’ve been working with Joffrey here for four years, I can’t- I’m going on the front with him.”

            “Sir, you don’t have to.” The driver answers, clearly embarrassed.

            “When did you _ever_ call me sir? Are you insane?” Louis frowns staring at him and laughs.

            “Uh…”

            “You don’t need to call him sir if you never called him sir”, Harry offers gently. “Not because I’m here anyways.”

            “Okay, sir.”

            “You don’t have to call me sir, either, I’m pretty sure I’m younger than you.” He chuckles and Joffrey does too. “Let’s just go, yeah?” He gets in the car and closes the door.

            Louis walks and seats on the passenger seat.

            “Where to?” Joffrey asks when he starts the car.

            “Uh, New Jersey? My mate’s place. Can I?” He gestures towards the GPS.

            “Sure.”

            Louis types in the address and Harry turns on his phone, bypassing every non-important message and finding one from his mother, asking if he can do dinner tonight.

            **Think I’ll be too tired, just got back from Chicago and am going to spend the day with Louis and the kids. Raincheck?** He types.

           

            **_Louis and the kids. That sounds awesome, darling. I’ll hold you to it. Love you._**

****

Harry smiles. He loves his mom so much.

            **I love you too, mom.** He replies and tunes back to the conversation.

 

            Joffrey is telling Louis about some girl Harry’s never heard of, but, apparently, she used to work with them when they first started.

            “Why don’t you call her up then?”           Louis presses.

            “Same reason you never called Zayn.”

            “It’s not the same, you idiot.” He responds. Harry can’t see but he knows Louis is rolling his eyes. To be honest, he’s really curious to know how _Zayn_ is.

            “Course it is. You thought he was hot, he had a boyfriend. Then he didn’t.”

            “Shut up.” Louis says seriously.

            “Oh fuck, I’m sorry.” He says and looks at Harry through the rearview mirror.

            “Isn’t this awkward?” Harry laughs. “Relax, man. And call your girl.”

            “She’s not his girl, Harry, because he never told her he’s been in love with her since the day they _met_.”

            “I have not—forget it.” He shakes his head and tries to change the topic, but Louis doesn’t let him. He nags Joffrey until he lets Louis grab his phone and send a simple _hi_ to the girl in question.

            Louis calls Stan to let him know they’re on their way, and since he’s now paying attention to his own phone, Harry texts him.

            **Zayn?**

Louis chuckles on the front seat.

            **_Worked with us during the first year and then left. Was hot. All I know. J was just being an ass._**

            There is no explanation as to why Harry feels _relieved_ , but he exhales an easy breath anyways and plays a game on his phone until they get to their location.

            Louis is the first one to exit the car, the kids already jumping excitedly holding onto whom Harry figures are Stan and his wife, and they hug Louis at the same time when they see him. Harry gets out of the car too, a couple of seconds later, bracing himself for the hugs he himself is about to get.

            There is nothing more pure than having two pairs of small arms around your neck, and nothing more satisfying than hearing both Mandy and Nate thank their father for _bringing him_. Not to Harry anyways. Not right now.

            “I’m so glad he brought me to you too”, he smiles big. “How are you doing? Did you grow up since last time I saw you?” He asks, still on his knees on the sidewalk.

            “I did! I ate lots of fruits!” Amanda says proudly.          

            “Fruits are great for you, good job, Mandy.” He high-fives her. “What about you, Nate? Did you develop superpowers and didn’t tell me about it?”

            “Yesss, Hazz. I’m like—super spider man!”

            “Oh wow”, he chuckles. “Please, tell me all about it.”

            “He will, after he gets his things inside. Go, chop chop.” Louis turns his son and daughter by their shoulders and rushes them inside. “If you could please stand on your own two feet, love…” He requests Harry ironically.

            “Shut up.” Harry says playfully. “Hi, I’m Harry, nice to meet you.” He stretches a hand.

            “Angela”, he nice-looking woman answers and smiles, shaking his hand too.

            “You’re Stan?” Harry guesses, with a smile, shaking his hand too.

            “Am I famous? _Oh, Lou-eeeehhhh”_ , the man fake-gushes. “Great to meet ya, man. Heard great things ‘bout ya.” Stan says.

            “Likewise.”   

            “Good.” He says seriously and looks at Louis, as if he didn’t expect anything else. “D’you guys wanna come in?”

            “Maybe have some lunch?” Angie offers. “Mandy’s complaining she’s hungry.”

            “Uh…” Louis shifts on his feet and looks at Harry. Harry schools his expression so Louis will understand he’s fine with whatever he decides. “We were actually going to take them out for lunch?”

            “Lunch, yes, I’m hungry!” Mandy says running out of the house. “Harry coming to lunch with us, dad?”

            “Yes.”

            “YES!” Both kids cheer.

            “Did they give you much trouble?” Louis asks them.

            “Course not, Lou”, Angela replies, “Your children are amazing… But you already know that.”

            “He does. Bastard’s just fishing for compliments.” Stan points.

            “Bastard is a bad word, uncle Stan.” Nathan tells him. Harry’s endeared.

            “It is, indeed, Nathan. Thank you for pointing that out. Your uncle Stan is very impolite. Never be like him.”

            Stan mutters _tosser_ to Louis and Harry cackles up a laugh.

            “Sorry.” He apologizes and everyone laughs. “Should we get going then?” He asks.

            “Yes, yes.” Louis says and holds Nathan’s hand, seeing as Harry’s holding Amanda’s already. “Thank you so much, guys. I owe you”, he says and hugs Angela.

            “Please.” Stan snorts. “See you on Sunday?”

            “Yep.”

            “Bye, Harry, it was great to meet you”, Angela says and this time Harry hugs her.

            “It was great to meet you too. You both.” He then says, looking at Stan.

            “Take care of my mate, will ya?”

            “ _Oi!_ ” Louis voices.

            “I will.” Harry says seriously.

 

            They get in the car again and Louis once again sits by Joffrey’s side, introducing him to the kids and asking them to _please be nice in the back_.

            “We always nice, dad.” Nate says.

            “You’ll be a lot nicer when you say it with the _verb to be_ , Nathan.”

            “We are always nice?”

            “Good job, buddy.” Harry high-fives him.

            “Where to, Mr Styles?” Joffrey asks.

            “D’you know where Bruno’s Restaurant is? In Queens?” He asks and the guy nods. “There, please.”

            “What are we going to eat?” Amanda asks, big eyes waiting excitedly for a reply.

            “Whatever you want and your dad lets you…” He tells her. “There’s Italian food, seafood…”

            “I love seafood!” Nate chips in.

            “So much he threw up last time.” Louis mocks. “No way you’re eating seafood again before we go to the doctor Nathan, forget it.”

            “But daaaad…” The four year-old whines.

            “Not a discussion, buddy.” Louis doesn’t even look back, but his voice says it all.

            “But then Amanda can’t have too…”

            “ _Either_ ”, Amanda corrects quickly and smiles proudly. “And yes, I can, I didn’t get sick, you did!” The girl teases.

            “What if we all go for Italian?” Harry suggests.

            “But I want fish!” She pouts.

            “You’ll eat whatever is on the kid’s menu, Amanda. Now, stop whining both of you and tell us what nice thing you did with uncle Stan and aunt Angie while I was away…”

            Amanda doesn’t like it much and neither does Nathan, but they both comply with their father and start talking about all the funny stuff they did for the past twenty-four hours.

            Louis tells them some of his and Stan’s stories when they were both kids and it’s good, great even to Harry, because he’s also getting to know more and more about him.

            Harry doesn’t even notice how it happens, but at some point Amanda tunes out of her father and brother’s conversation and comes to sit on Harry’s lap, looking at the street. It’s when they stop at a red light that she talks in a low voice.

            “Did you take care of my dad, Hazz?”

            “I did.” He smiles, pulling her hair back and combing it with his fingers. It’s so thin and straight that it gets messy very easily. “I fed him _and_ made him smile.”

            “Good. Dad sometimes forgets to eat when he is so very worried about me and Nate.”

            “He ate, I promise.” He smiles. Harry is so, so fond of her and her brother.

            “Were he mean to you?” Harry doesn’t know if it’s okay for _him_ to correct her, so he doesn’t say anything, but squints his eyes. “ _Was_ he mean to you?” She repeats the question, now correctly.

            “Of course not.”

            “If he is mean one day, don’t leave him, okay? Dad is only mean when he is scared, like one day when I fell during ballet class and he said I was never going to dance ballet again… But it was just because he didn’t want me to hurt again.” Harry’s heart clenches and he doesn’t know what to say. “Dad likes you.”

            “I like your dad.”

            “He likes _likes_ you, Harry.” She says and buries his face in her hands.

            “Can I tell you a secret, Mandy?” He asks and she nods sheepishly. “I like _like_ him to. Very much a lot.”

            “This much?” Her mouth opens in an _oh_.

            “Yeah.” He leans back on his sit, holding her by her waist. Louis, Joffrey and Nate are talking football now, and Louis is completely disgusted that his son prefers it to soccer. “This much, indeed.” He sighs, not really talking to her. She smiles big anyway. She smiles her Louis smile, the same one Nathan gives him every now and then too, and, somehow, Harry knows he can do this.

 

            “Hazz.” Louis calls him when they get out of the car, in front of the restaurant.

            “Yeah?”

            “Can you- hm- can you send Joffrey home? I know he’s working and- like, he works for you, but I’m not very comfortable with him carrying me and my kids places…”

            “But Louis—”

            “Or maybe, do whatever, but then I- I’m taking the bus home with them afterwards, if that’s okay?”

            “Absolutely not.” Harry replies.

            “It’s a short commute from here to my place.”

            “I can send him home, no problem. But I won’t let you take the bus with kids and your suitcase.”

            “Wouldn’t even be the fifteenth time I’ve done this.”

            “Well, Louis, I’m sorry, but I don’t quite care if it’s the hundredth.”

            “Harold.” He says seriously.

            “ _Lewis_.”

            “This is not a joke.”

            “Good that we agree. Go in with them; find a nice table for us. I’ll get our stuff and send Joffrey home.”

            “Fine.” Louis sighs and calls the kids to go inside with him.

 

            “Hey, man…” Joffrey calls Harry from inside the car. “Louis’ not used to having things easily you know? And, in his head, he’s being an asshole just because I’m driving for him…”

            “I know.” Harry replies. “But you should go home; we can take an uber from here.”

            “I don’t have to.”

            “I don’t wanna argue with him.” Harry gives the man a tight-lipped smile. “Thank you, Joffrey.”

            The man waves and waits for Harry to close the door so he can go his way.

            He leaves their small suitcases with the girl at the front desk and enters the restaurant to find Louis and the kids already seated and talking to a waitress. She’s clearly flirting with Louis, and it’s nice for Harry to see from afar how unaware of his beauty he is.

            Some people, Harry thinks, are beautiful inside and out, and most of the time they don’t believe such thing. Most of the time, they believe they’re not beautiful at all, because of all the scars life has left on them. Louis is much like this, Harry’s noticed.

            This, though, is what makes Harry even _more_ drawn to him: the fact that he brushes his scars off and goes on. They’re still there, they still exist, they’re still a part of him – but Louis doesn’t let them overpower who he is. Instead, he wears them like an armor.

            And yes, maybe it makes it much more difficult for people to _see_ what is behind the armor itself. But it doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the effort, because Harry’s quickly learning that, once you try, what you find behind it all is stunning.

 

            “Hey there…” He says as he approaches the table. “You guys good?”

            “Yes! Harry, dad let me have fish with mashed potatoes!” Nate smiles proudly.

            “But _no_ shrimp sauce.” Amanda reminds him.

            “We’ve reached an agreement”, Louis tells him with a smile on his face.

            “Good.”

            Harry wants to kiss him, badly. So he scoots closer and lets his lips brush Louis’ cheeks. Chaste. Quick. But it doesn’t go unnoticed.

            “Hazz, don’t go kissin’ my dad”, Nate says.

            “Sorry.” Harry’s eyes widen comically but he schools his expression to something serious.

            He wants to let it go, backs away from Louis, but…

            “Why’s that, Nate?” Louis asks.

            “Because he’s my friend.”

            “Okay, and?” Louis asks.

            “Nothin’, dad.” He doesn’t answer. “Can I play with your phone?”

            “No, you can’t.” His father replies and that’s that.

            Amanda sits closer to Harry and makes an effort to talk to him more than before, seeing as her brother still looks downright angry.

            She tells him their birthday is in July and grandma and auntie Lottie are planning a birthday party for them, but what she’s _really_ excited about is the school recital in September, for which they’re already rehearsing since _“it’s gonna be so big, Hazz!”_.

            Harry focuses on her, but still tries to communicate with Nathan. He’s not angry _with_ Harry, he realizes. He just didn’t like Harry kissing his dad on the cheek. Harry can understand that, he is four and a half years old after all.

 

            By the end of the lunch everything seems to be all right. They argue over who is going to pay for everything and at the end Harry agrees that they’ll split, but he doesn’t really like it. The car to Louis’ place is on _him_ , and _this is not up for discussion_ , he lets Louis know before they even exit the restaurant.

 

            “If you’re not sick of us… Would you like to come in and watch a movie? They’ll probably pass out halfway through it.” Louis says quietly.

            It’s around two pm when they get to his house.

            “’M not sick of them. You on the other hand…” He whispers.

            “Shut up.” Harry receives a slap on his shoulder, but it’s soft and accompanied by a high-pitched laugh. He quite likes it.

 

-

 

            “What are we watching?” Mandy asks, taking off her shoes.

            “Whatever you want to watch, peanut.” Louis answers.

            “Can it be—hm… Thor?”

            “Thor?” Louis frowns.

            “He’s handsome, daaad.” The girl says in a bargaining tone.

            “Can’t argue there”, Harry chuckles. He doesn’t really mind what movie they’re going to watch, and if he’s being honest, he likes all things MARVEL.

            “I like Thor too”, Nathan says and runs out of the living room, coming back only seconds later with a replica of Thor’s hammer.

            “That’s awesome, Nate, can I see it?”

            “Yes!” He runs again towards Harry this time, sitting by his side on the couch while Louis goes to put Thor on.

            Nathan talks to him like nothing happened an hour ago, and it’s only when Louis comes back to the couch, Mandy already sprawled on the rug by their feet, that the boy’s body kind of stiffens again.

            “You okay there?” Louis asks. Harry’s in the middle of them both.

            “Yes.” He answers but doesn’t look at his father. “Don’t sit too close to Hazz.” Nathan then voices.

            Mandy isn’t paying him any attention, already focused on the screen, but Louis sighs desperately not understanding what is going on.

             “What’s going on, Nate?” He asks him.

            “Nothin’.”

            “Maybe talk to him when I’m not here, yeah?” Harry suggests.

            “Yeah.” He sighs once again and faces the TV.

            Louis doesn’t seem like he wants to watch the movie much, but he settles on the couch, away from Harry, as his son requested for, the first thirty minutes, then Mandy falls sleep.

            “I’m gonna take her to her bedroom.” Louis says.

            “Want me to do it?” Harry offers. “You were complaining ‘bout your back on the plane.”

            “Could ya?” He looks at him as if Harry’s the best thing since sliced bread.

            Harry simply gets up and takes the girl in his arms. She isn’t heavy at all, and snuggles closer to his chest as soon as he manages to get up straight. Nathan gets up too and says he’ll show Harry the way, then they both move quietly around the house.

            It isn’t big, but Harry knew that already. The kids share a room which he is seeing for the first time and he thinks it’s kind of dope. Niall used to share a room with his brother when he was a kid and it was never a problem – if anything, it brought them closer back then.

            The little boy points out which one is Amanda’s bed and Harry lays her there, quickly accepting the comforter Nate hands him. He covers her and then looks back. Nathan is sitting on his own bed.

            “Think I’m going to nap too.” He tells Harry.

            “Okay.”

            “You going to be here when we wake up?”

            “I don’t know, bud. I’m pretty tired myself. Think I need a nap at my own place.” He tells him. “Want me to tuck you in? Or call your dad?”

            “You can do it.” He says and lies on the bed, waiting for Harry to cover him.

            Harry’s never tucked kids into bed in his life before. And, okay, it’s just an afternoon nap, but out of all the moments Harry has had in his twenty-five years of life, this one here feels monumental somehow.

            “Okay, then. I’ll tell your dad to pause the movie so you guys can watch it later.”

            “We watched it before. You can watch it with him if you want.” He offers.

            “Can I sit close to him?” Harry tries, a smile threatening to spread on his face.

            “Yes.” Nathan answers defeated. “But don’t stop liking me, okay? Or Mandy.”

            “Why would I _ever_ stop liking you, sir?” He doesn’t even need to fake outrage.

            “My other dad was in love with this dad, and he didn’t like us very much. You like us, I think. So I don’t want you to be in love with my dad too if it means you are not going to like me and Mandy anymore.”

            Harry feels like crying.

            “This is not going to happen, Nate. Never, okay? I like you all, as a package deal, yeah?” He runs his fingers through the boy’s hair. “And whatever happens between your dad and I… Well.” He sighs. “Talk to your dad, okay?” He asks him. “But I promise you… I like you and your sister so, so, so much. But I also like your dad. Is that okay?”

            Nathan thinks for a few seconds.

            “… Okay.” He yawns. Harry smiles. “See ya?”

            “See you, bud.” He leans down and kisses his forehead.

            When he gets to the living room, Louis himself looks very sleepy, and cute, and cuddly.

           

            “Hey.” He calls. “Nate decided to have a nap too.”

            “Figured.” Louis chuckles. “I’ll wake them up in an hour and a half. One of the mothers from their school texted me, they have tons of homework. I’ll try to get everything done today so they’ll have a free weekend… I always try to do that.”

            “It’s a nice system.” Harry agrees. “Aren’t you exhausted though?”

            “I am.” He agrees and stretches his hand. Harry catches it and falls by his side on the couch.

            “So… Nap.”

            “Nah. I can never sleep properly at night if I do that.” Louis says. “Kiss me.” He then asks, out of the blue. He doesn’t need to ask twice.

            Harry leans in and connects their lips. He’s going for soft, but Louis dives in tongue first. He is _not_ complaining. Louis moves one hand to his nape and places another on his waist, and sooner rather than later they are properly snogging on this couch again, breathing heavily but never ever stopping.

            None of Harry’s past kisses have been like the ones he shares with Louis, when everything seems more intensified, somehow. Louis’ kisses are much like himself: unique.

            His legs fall open and Harry falls in between, nibbling on Louis’ bottom lip and then moving to his jaw. Louis’ stubble is growing and he cannot wait for it to leave burns between his thighs; _Harry wants so much from him, with him_. He doesn’t even know if he’s being fair, but… He just does.

            “God, _stop_ , you’re gonna drive me crazy.” He stifles a moan in Louis’ neck when he squeezes Harry’s ass in his hands.

            “You’re just—addicting, is all.” Louis excuses. “Thought about kissing you since we left Chicago. The whole day. It’s been torture.”

            “Missed you too”, Harry pouts and then pecks Louis’ mouth.

            “I can’t believe my son cock-blocked us so much today.” He stops and thinks. “ _Kiss-blocked? Hug-blocked?_ I don’t know.” Louis chuckles.

            “Nate and I had a nice chat.” Harry tells him. “You should talk to him later. Apparently he’s scared I’ll fall for you and end up resenting him and Mandy, like their other father did.”

            Louis’ expression changes instantly.

            “Oh my God!” He exclaims.

            “I know. I told him not to worry about it, and to talk to you.”

            “Yeah, sure.”

            “But Louis…” Harry says, searching for something in the other man’s eyes he hasn’t found it yet.

            “What?”

            “I think you and I- we uh—we should talk, too. Before you talk to Nate about us.”

            “Okay.”

            “Over lunch? This week- maybe?” He asks. “Please don’t look like this, it’s nothing bad…” Harry chuckles and kisses Louis’ cheek, then his temple, then his forehead and his nose for good measure. Louis surges forwards and kisses him on the mouth. “I just want to talk about our relationship, yeah? Learn boundaries and stuff. I’ve… I’ve never done this.” He confesses in a small voice.

            Louis hugs him and Harry lets his weight fall onto him again.

            “We’ll talk, babe.” He assures him. “Lunch this week sounds awesome.”

            “Kay.”

            “Kay.”

            Maybe they fall asleep for half an hour, Harry doesn’t really know. But a while later Louis sees him off with an easy smile and a sweet kiss, and Harry goes home counting the hours to see him again.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much love, as always.  
> Can't wait to hear from you <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiii!   
> Here in less than a week cause I feel like being nice today :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

 

            Louis wants to say he isn’t nervous when he sits to have lunch with Harry, but he is, at lot. Maybe his kids would know how to handle this situation better, but truth is he’s on a break from work right now and there’s no way he can reach them at school.  Plus, that would be the epitome of ridiculous, right? Yeah, right.

            Harry isn’t saying much either, examining the menu like it’s the most interesting thing he has ever read. Louis ends up doing the same, and they remain silent until a waitress comes to them, offering to take their orders. When she goes away, Harry blushes. He _blushes_.

            “Is this awkward for you too, then?” Louis asks being hopeful. Harry nods and they both chuckle. He gets some water into his system before speaking. “You said you wanted to—uh, discuss us?”

            “Yes.”

            “Discuss away.” He smiles coyly.

            Harry hums and then sighs, giggling a bit. Harry Styles is gorgeous, powerful, filthy rich. But when he giggles, and he giggles a lot around Louis, he is just _Harry_. Just Harry is something that Louis appreciates a lot more.

            “I want to date you.” He says as seriously as he can manage.

            “Uh…” Louis frowns. “I thought we were already dating?”

            “I know, but- like, exclusively.”

            “Oh.”

            “Not that I wasn’t- I mean I was… Were you?”

            “Was I what?”

            “Seeing other people? Because I wasn’t. I’m  not. And I don’t want to. So my question is, uh, can we- like, keep doing this? Exclusively?” He finishes speaking and then downs a whole glass of water at once. Louis would laugh, because he’s very endeared, but he understands Harry’s nervousness and, if he’s being honest, he knows what an important step this is.

            Louis wants this. Yes, he wants this very much. Of freaking course he hasn’t been seeing anyone apart from Harry and part of him knows Harry _knows_ that. And it’s pretty obvious that Louis likes Harry. Maybe more than likes him. Is possibly starting to really fall for him. But there are things to be considered. Harry knows this too. Hence, the discussion and not the whole _will you be my boyfriend, please_ thing.

            “I am not seeing anyone, H, nor do I want to.” He eases his way into the conversation, holding Harry’s hand over the table. “And I do. Want to date you. Exclusively. But you do understand that I have, like, tons of things to consider, right?”   

            “Sure.”

            “I’ve got kids.”

            “I know that.”

            “Of course.” He rolls his eyes. “My kids are never not going to come first.”

            “I’d never want anything different, Lou. The fact that you love them so much only shows me how great your character is.” Harry tells him. “They’re amazing. I like them so, so much. And they like me, too, I think.”

            “Hazz… It’s not that. I’m not worried about your relationship with my kids. It’s pretty clear that you three have created a special bond.”

            “So… What’s the problem?”

            “I’ve got kids.” He shrugs and doesn’t really look Harry into his eyes when he speaks again. “I’ve got kids and this means this is not going to be a normal relationship.” Louis grimaces. “There won’t be as many sleepovers as boyfriends have, because I can only ask my mom and my sister to babysit so much. Late dinners, nights out—those are just- _not_ in the cards for me. I go to family-friendly places, I spend lots of weekends at children’s birthday parties, I go to recitals and soccer games and I—I am always exhausted.” He confesses.

            “Lou…”

            “I am. I wake up at ass o’clock in the morning to get to work and I go to bed very late, because there are dishes, and laundry and a house to be cleaned _after_ the kids are asleep, _after_ we’ve done homework, _after_ they’re all sorted. I’m always very much tired.” He smiles. “I have one friend, and you’ve met him. I don’t drink much, though I used to love it.”

            “I’m just not sure I’m the best boyfriend material, and we’re at very different places in our lives. You’re twenty-five… This is still clubbing age, getting sloshed and not remembering stuff and I’m-

            “Old?” Harry laughs.

            “No. Just—at a different phase, is all.”

            “What you’re saying is…?”

            “I want to be with you. But I’m not sure I’m the best for you. That’s what I’m saying.”

            “You’re…” Harry takes a deep breath. “You’re delusional if you think you’re not boyfriend material because of the life you’ve got going on”, is the first thing he says. “C’mon, Louis, have you been paying close attention to my life? The dark circles under my eyes?” He laughs.

            “I’ve inherited a freaking empire and I’m working day, night and in between not to screw this up. I’m _always_ exhausted, too. Last time I went to a club was right when we started dating and I feel like I should tell you that I did sleep with a random guy, and it wasn’t that good and- yeah.”

            “Oh.”

            “I don’t lie.” He continues. “And I’m sorry if this hurts you, but I was drunk and Niall pushed me towards him and it had been ages, so- yes. Like I said, it’s very much in the past and I already wanted you too much… Truth is I’ve been wanting you since I first saw you.”

            “Bullshit.” Louis calls and laughs.

            “It’s not—” Harry starts but stops because their food arrive.

            They both thank the waitress for their pastas and wine, and when she goes her merry way the CEO keeps speaking.

            “First time I saw you I wanted to do… _Things_ that I can’t say in the daylight in the middle of a restaurant during a meal.”

            “Harry!” Louis laughs, almost letting the food go out of his mouth.

            “I had this ridiculous crush on you from the beginning, because you were the first person—the only one, really, that helped me and was there for me. Always. You never really doubted me, and if you did, you hid it well.”

            “I didn’t.” He confirms between bites.    

            “I’m not a normal twenty-five year old, Lou. You know that. I like to think I’m a bit more mature and a bit more understanding…” He says and Louis nods along. He thinks so, too, now that Harry’s pointing it out. “I’m okay with going to family friendly places, fuck, I love it.” He grins. “I’m okay with having few nights out and I’m okay with going to school events, if you’ll let me. I’m okay with fucking only when the kids are asleep and I promise to be very quiet. You can even gag me if it helps.”

            “HARRY.” He scream-whispers.

            Harry chuckles.

            “Don’t say you’ll ruin us before we even start, is what I’m saying.” Harry says. “For all you know, we could be the greatest team that the world has ever seen.”

            Louis can feel his eyes glistening, very stupid tears threatening to leave his eyes. The thing is, no one has ever really fought for him, no one’s ever really tried to convince him that he is worth it. With Aaron it was… Easy. They were easy for each other, and when it got hard, he just left.

            With Harry… With Harry is less easy, and, still, here he is, saying he’s willing to fight. So is Louis, if he’s being honest.

            “Are you being serious about the gagging you thing? Cause I think I’d dig that.” He jokes.

            “Lou.” Harry reprimands him. And then… “Yes.” He says looking down.

            Louis chuckles again and squeezes Harry’s hand over the table. He then takes a sip of his wine to wet his mouth and tells Harry he’ll give it a try. Because they both deserve this,

            “Guess I’ll have to tell my children that they’re about to see you a lot more then.” He lets a smile take over his face.

            “For real?” Harry’s eyes are big, glassy, and expectant.

            “For real.”

            The smile that takes over Harry’s face could end wars.

 

-

 

            Louis doesn’t usually stop by his mother’s place during the week, but today he makes an exception. He picks the kids up and tells them they’re visiting grandma; both Amanda and Nathan thank him like he’s just handed them the biggest gift of all times.

            Maybe it is.

            Louis loves his mother more than he can explain, and the fact that his children love her just as much – Jay being the best grandmother in the whole wide world – makes Louis’ heart swell with pride.

 

            “There’s always food at grandma’s!” Nathan celebrates.

            “You say that like you starve to death at home.”

            “Her cooking is way better, dad.” He says pointedly.

            “Hm.” Louis hums pretending to be unhappy. Nate hugs his legs and looks at him with _that_ look and he softens immediately. “I’m sorry I’m such a bad cook.”

            “I love you for more things than cooking, dad, it’s okay.” He pats his thigh and runs inside the house, Mandy already there hugging Jay.

            Louis stays put for a few more seconds taking in his son’s words, and then he makes his way inside, closing the door behind him.

            “If it isn’t my favorite son!” Johanna smiles.

            “Your only one.” He jokes back and hugs her. “Hi, mom.”

            “How are you doing, boo?”

            “I’m doing… Great, actually, yeah, which is why I’m here to be honest.”

            He tells her everything then.

            She already knew the basics, but it’s still good to tell her everything. Louis kind of lied when he said he only had one friend and that was Stan, because his mom is his best one. She’s the only one who has always been there for him whether it was hail rain or sunshine, and never once judged him or his choices.

            She doesn’t do it now, either. They put the twins to watch TV (they don’t, they play and turn the house upside down) and go to the kitchen to talk a bit; when Louis is done explaining everything, how he feels, how Harry feels and how it’s all just kind of perfect at the moment, Jay hugs him and says she couldn’t be happier for him.

            “You deserve this happiness so much, my love.” She whispers.

            “Thanks, mom.” He looks at her, stepping back a bit. “We’re testing the waters now… Nate was worried the other day that he’d lose Hazz if we were a thing.”

            “Makes sense; with Aaron having left them…”

            “Yes.” He looks down.

            “It still hurts you, doesn’t it?” Jay asks.

            “Every day.” He confesses.

            Because it does. It doesn’t mean that Louis is in love with Aaron – he’s not; or that he misses _him_ – he doesn’t. However, it hurts like a bitch to know that years ago someone thought that he and those amazing four and a half year olds weren’t worth sticking around for.

            It hurts to know that he was abandoned twice now – once by his dad and then by his husband. His _husband_ , whom had taken a vow. It’s complicated and Louis is scarred. Scarred and scared: an understandable but very bad combination when going into a new relationship.

            He promised he’d try, though. He and Harry, they are trying. They are making this work.

           

            Dinner goes well, and he tells his kids in front of his mom, during the meal, that their dad has a boyfriend – and that this boyfriend is Harry, and that Harry personally asked him to tell them they’ve got nothing to worry about.

            “But he’ll tell you himself when you see him again.”

            “When’s that?” Mandy asks.

            “Next weekend, maybe.” He smiles.

            “Why not this one?” Nate asks.

            “You’re going to your father’s this one.” He tells him. “He’s taking you to an amusement park or something…”

            Aaron texted Louis a couple of days ago, apologizing for last time. Louis knows the drill, he knows he’ll screw up again, but he can’t quite prevent him from taking his children every other weekend. It’s the law, after all. The kids don’t argue like they would have a year ago.

            It seems like the older they get, the easier they try to make the whole separation thing on Louis. And they’re not even five yet, but, somehow, they’ve managed to understand how difficult it is for Louis to deal with this whole situation. Louis kind of hates it, because his kids shouldn’t have to worry about _him_ , but he still senses that they do. If anything, Louis feels emotional – humble. He doesn’t know if he deserves how amazing those kids are to him.

 

-

 

            The only “good part” of the kids being away on the first weekend of June is that it’s also the weekend of the company party. Still, Louis needs _help_.

            “I don’t know what to wear, Stan!” He cries out for the third time on facetime and his friend laughs on the other line. “It’s not funny.”

            _“Louis, you have three suits, it can’t be that difficult.”_

            “Well, it is!” He answers annoyed.

            _“Wear the navy blue one, Lou. They bring your eyes out. Wear your hair in a quiff, you’ll look hotter.”_ Angie comes behind her husband, fitting her face in the camera.

            “See, _this_ is what a friend does, Stanley. Thank you, Angela; you’re the best person in this relationship.”

            _“I know_. _”_ Both her and Stan answer at the same time. Couple’s goals!

            Louis hangs up a few minutes later, finally deciding on a white shirt under the navy blue suit and a baby blue tie, because Angie also said it’d look all right when he sent her a picture two minutes after he hung up.

            He spends fifteen minutes on his hair, more time than he’s had to _shower_ in the last few years. Louis just really wants to look good, okay?

 

-

 

            Harry’s an absolute nerve wreck when he gets to the party. Louis can see it on his face when Cheryl walks up to him with two other women in tow, and he feels nothing but helpless, because he can’t really comfort his _boss_ right now – not in the way that he wants.

            He’s sat at a table with a few of his coworkers, but makes his way to the bar as soon as it gets more accessible, the line shorter.

            “Louis!” A woman calls his name as he approaches the bar.

            “Lou”, he turns around smiling, already opening his arms to hug her. “How’re you doing, love?” Louis asks.

            Lou is the company’s head of photography – her husband being one of the company’s many photographers. They met here, ten years ago, and they always, _always_ tell their story to anyone who’s willing to hear. Louis thinks they are very cute together.

            “I’m good, finally taking a break from the kids. Guess you too, right?”

            “Yeah, they’re at their father’s. Hope everything’s all right.” He tries not to sound worried.

            “Of course it is, just relax and have a drink.” She comforts him and then talks to the bartender. “Two Manhattans, please.” Lou asks.

            “What if I wanted something else?” Louis questions.

            “Did you?” She eyes him suspiciously.

            “No.”

            Louis orders the same drink every party, because he feels like a Manhattan is the perfect balance between alcoholic _enough_ to give him a buzz and not _too much_ to make him act weird.

            They talk some more and when their drinks arrive Louis accompanies Lou to her table, where he finds Tom and engages in a nice conversation with. His eyes don’t lose track of Harry, though – they follow him everywhere around the party, as he talks to people and smile at them. He’s getting more comfortable, Louis notices, but not as much as he should be.

            Louis imagines how hard it must be; still, the closer he gets, the only thing Louis can focus on is how absolutely _gorgeous_ Harry looks. He always is, this isn’t- this isn’t really a _surprise_ , but Louis is still baffled by his outfit. Everything is tight and so perfectly tailored, like it was made exactly _for_ him. Louis doesn’t doubt it was, now that he thinks about it.

            Harry’s in all black, and he’s also wearing a white shirt, but no tie. Well, unless you count a thin, black one laced around his neck and tucked in the shirt – which isn’t completely buttoned up. Louis thinks Harry’s one of the few people in the world that can pull this off. He looks absolutely edible, and not figuratively speaking. _Fuck_.

            “You still there, mate?” Tom asks, putting a hand on his shoulder.

            “Yes”, Louis replies. “Sorry.”

            “He looks hot.” Louise offers.

            “Who?”

            “Harry.”

            “Oh. _Oh_.” Damn it.

            “You know, word going ‘round is that our boss is smitten with his executive assistant.” She elbows him and Louis doesn’t respond, because Harry’s getting closer to this table now. (He’s currently at the one Louis was supposed to be at.)

            _Only one till the gets here_ , Louis thinks. He needs to get his face under control. Cheryl’s still with him, following him like a shadow. Louis hasn’t seen her since before Des died – he could go another six months without having to look her in the face and wouldn’t complain.

            That’s it. Harry’s coming here now.

            There are other six people besides Tom, Lou and Louis; he talks to them all before he gets to them, but his eyes travel to Louis every now and then, and Louis can see how much he’s struggling too.

           

            “It’s good to see you, so glad you came”, Harry hugs Lou and then shakes Tom’s hand, “is everything all right?” He asks them, but Louis tunes out, because Cheryl calls his attention.

            “Louis, was it?” She asks him, smiling and stretching her hand out so he can shake.

            “Yes, ma’am, good to see you again.” He lies through his teeth.

            “I understand you’ve been to great help the past semester, Harry speaks very highly of you.”

            “I appreciate that.”

            “I need to thank you for that. You have more experience, it’s good that you’re keeping an eye on him so he doesn’t screw anything up.” She jokes.

            Louis really doesn’t like her.

            “With all due respect, Harry’s more than capable to do everything alone and _not_ screw anything up.” He smiles at her coldly. “I’m just landing him a hand, same I did for Des.”

            “Guess I just appreciate him more.” Harry interjects. “Hi, Louis.” He smiles. He smiles and Louis can’t see anything but him.

            “Hi, Harry.” He replies and smiles too, feeling his cheeks redden. _Fuck_.

            “I’m glad you’re here, because uh- I need your help with something, actually.” He says. “D’you mind coming with me?” Harry asks.       

            “Okay, sure.” He nods. Lou hides a laugh behind her hands.

            “You can survive on your own for a while, can’t you, Cheryl?” Harry asks her and doesn’t give her time to respond. “Perfect, then. Louis?” He calls and starts walking.

            Louis thinks he says _laters_ to his couple of work-mates and follows Harry on a straight line. They reach a door and Harry opens it. It looks like an office, maybe where the owner of the venue does business. Louis _really_ doesn’t have time to analyze it, because the second they’re inside Harry’s pinning him to the door and kissing the living shit out of him.

            He responds the best he can, kissing him back as fervently and rapidly as he is being kissed, fitting his hands beneath Harry’s blazer, and keeping in mind that he can’t mess his clothes or hair up. _God_ , but it is so difficult.

            Harry kisses him and suddenly the world stops, nothing else matters but this moment right here. Louis _really_ doesn’t know how to deal with this feeling, so he places both hands on Harry’s chest, and just that makes Harry back away a bit.

            “I thought you needed help with your speech”, Louis says, breath labored.

            “No.” Harry chuckles. “I’m sorry.” He pecks Louis’ mouth.

            “Don’t be. I’ve been eye-fucking you since I got here.” He laughs lightly and fixes a loose strand of Harry’s hair. “You look stunning, Hazz.”

            “So do you.” Harry kisses him again. “I’m sorry I didn’t reply to your texts earlier, Cheryl hasn’t left me alone since she got here _in the afternoon_.” He complains.

            “It’s okay, babe…” He keeps caressing his hair. “Are you all right?”

            “Yes, actually. Was more nervous at first.” He tells him and Louis nods. “Hey, Lou.”

            “Hm?”

            “Are the kids going to sleep at Aaron’s?” Harry asks and Louis nods. “Come back to mine then? After the party? Please?” He kisses him again. Louis closes his eyes and surrenders to the feeling, Harry’s lips, Harry’s tongue, and Harry’s _hands_ on his waist, holding him with a firm grip. “You said you were eye-fucking me earlier…” He says in his ear. “You can fuck me for real if you just say yes.” He bites his earlobe and Louis actually _moans_ at his words.

            “You’re a terrible person, Harry Styles.” He replies, eyes still closed. “I was already going to say yes, but _no_ , you _had_ to make me at least half-hard with the prospect of fucking you.” He hits him.

            “Not sorry.” He presses his body closer, giving Louis the friction that it’s craving but _really can’t have_ at this moment.

            “Fuck you.”

            “Hopefully.” Harry laughs amusedly and steps back. “I have a way of making you flaccid again if that’s what you want…” He says nonchalantly.

            “Never thought I’d say that, but yes, please.”

            They both laugh.

            “After the speech—come sit at my table, yeah? Niall’s here and- uh, so is my mom. She wants to meet you.”

            Yep. That works.

            “Harry.”

            “I don’t hide stuff from my mother, Lou, and I literally can’t shut up about you. Just… _Please?_ ”

            Louis is not sure he is ready for this, but not because he doesn’t want to do it. He _does_. He’s just scared that Harry’s mother will absolutely hate him. After all, why does he have to offer someone like Harry? He’s poor, he’s got two children and he’s a freaking _assistant_.

            It wouldn’t be hard for her to think that he’s taking advantage of her son. Plus, this _would_ be a way of Harry stating to everyone at this party that he and Louis are more than co-workers, he thinks, and it’ll suck big time when everyone starts to tease him or make snarky remarks once they’re back at work on Monday.

            _Yes_ , Louis knows he’s jumping to conclusions here, but they are very valid conclusions, aren’t they?

            Louis nods nonetheless, and they exit the room together, separating only when Harry walks up the stairs to start his speech, and Louis to the bar – where he’ll watch his boyfriend be awesome with _another_ Manhattan in hands.

 

            Harry stutters for the first minute of his speech, but after that he is a natural. He looks very bossy and very CEO-y. Louis couldn’t be prouder if he tried. Harry mentions his father respectfully and then thanks everyone who was involved in helping him settle in the company – _I won’t name everyone because I don’t want to leave anyone out, but they know how they are_. He looks straight at Louis when he says it, and Louis’ heart warms up in a way he can’t explain.

            After he finishes, everyone wants a piece of him. Truth be told, everyone always does. So Louis mingles, and when it’s announced that dinner will be served, it doesn’t take much longer until there’s someone pulling him by the arm.

            “Hazz…” Louis sighs, looking around to see if anyone is paying attention. “I don’t want to be scandalous.”

            “What is scandalous about you having dinner at my table?”

            “Uh, you’re the boss? The assistant will have dinner with the President of the company _and_ the VP. That’s pretty scandalous.”

            “Good thing I intend to tell Cheryl you’re my boyfriend.”

            “Harry.” Louis looks at him seriously. “We didn’t discuss this.”

            “We discussed that we were serious about each other? Or am I crazy?” He frowns.

            “We didn’t discuss telling everyone.” Louis answers stubbornly.

            “I thought it was implied.” And now Harry looks disappointed. Louis really doesn’t want to disappoint him.

            This is a happy night. Louis is even happier with Harry. He can freaking man up, can’t he?

            “I know, I’m sorry, I just— you know what? Let’s go.” Tonight’s not the night to throw all his insecurities at his boyfriend again, he figures. “It’ll be all right. Hope your mom likes me.”

            “She already does.” Harry smiles happily and laces their fingers together.

            Louis feels like _everybody is looking_. Fuck. He doesn’t only _feel_ it, he _knows_ it, because they _are_. He and Harry cross the saloon hand in hand and heads turn to see the new couple.

            Harry squeezes his fingers between his own and Louis notices he looks a bit flushed, but he only stops walking when they reach their table. There sits Cheryl and a man Louis thinks is her husband, Anne, Niall, and there are two more chairs: for Louis and Harry.

            “Louis, good to see you again.” Niall opens a grin and Louis smiles back.

            “Good to see you too, Niall.” He replies with a smile a then nods again to Cheryl and her husband.

            “Mom, this is Louis. Lou, this is mom.” Harry smiles like he’s proud, and, right now, Louis feels too. _Look at them_.

                        “Hi”, Louis says sheepishly. “It’s very nice to meet you, Harry talks loads about you.”

                        “Oh, likewise.” His boyfriend’s mother smiles, and nods so Louis can sit.

                        Harry takes the place by her side and Louis by his. It’s a good table arrangement, he thinks, especially because he’s near Niall, who, apart from Harry, is the person who likes him the most at the table.

                        “So, this is a relationship, then.” Cheryl says, pointing between the two of them.

                        “Yes. Yes, it is.” Harry answers bravely. “I’ve just introduced him to my _mother_ , Cheryl.” He then rolls his eyes and Anne smiles warmly.

            She doesn’t look like she hates Louis, at least.

            “No wonder why you’ve been wanting to give him a promotion so bad…” She makes a snarky remark, one Louis certainly wasn’t expecting, because-

            “What?” He frowns, looking at Harry, who doesn’t return his gaze, eyes fixed on Cheryl.

            “If I were to act my age and my very young maturity, I would give you the answer that you deserve.” Harry replies, placing one hand firmly on Louis’ thigh. Louis is stiff by his side. “But if there is one thing my dad taught me really well, was to put people in their places. My place is to choose who deserves what in _my_ company, your place is to do your job well and keep me happy so I don’t go to the board suggesting a new VP for Styles’ Cosmetics.” Harry smiles, but it’s a wicked grin. Louis has never seen him be mean.

            Anne takes a deep breath, and holds it till Harry’s next words.

            “Now, we should all enjoy our dinner. Shall we?” He looks at Anne.

            “I think we should”, she agrees. “Louis, I understand you have two kids?”

            “Yes, I do. They’re the most gorgeous things…”

            “I’ve seen pictures, trust me…” Anne laughs lightly. “Twins, right?’

            “Yeah…”

            “How do you handle it, mate?” Niall asks him.

            Cheryl and her husband are back to their own conversation, and she even throws both Louis and Harry a very angry look, but he doesn’t stare back, choosing to answer Niall instead.

            “It gets a bit easier as they grow up; my mom and my sister help a lot. And they’re—they’re just the best kids, really.” He sighs, thinking about how much he just _adores_ them and wants the whole world to, too.

            “They’re some of the smartest kids I’ve ever met.” Harry says and then starts gushing about their grammar and drawing skills.

            The first is actually impressive, the latter is absolutely terrible, but Louis lets him keep talking, just because it makes him all fuzzy inside to know that the person he is falling for is super fond of his children.

            They keep the conversation polite, Louis asks about Robin and Anne tells him he couldn’t come since he had a business dinner to attend as well, and Harry suggests that they all meet for lunch one of these days.

            “That’s a good idea, love.” She smiles at him and then gives Cheryl some attention, being a great table host, if there’s such thing. (And, if there is, this should probably be _Harry’s_ job – to include everyone –, but he doesn’t look the VP of the company in the face again for the time they’re here.)

            The rest of the night isn’t more eventful than that. Louis talks more with Niall and finds out he really likes him. In a twisted way, he reminds him of Stan – Louis figures he and Harry have some great childhood stories, and he finds himself wanting to know them all, maybe at a lad’s night. So he suggests it.

            “That’s a great idea, Louis; I have _so_ many embarrassing stories of Hazz here.” Niall agrees.

            “You working on Monday, Ni?” Harry asks him.

            “Only in the afternoon.”

            “We could do it tomorrow night then, at my place. Pizza, beers, bad movies, but no embarrassing stories.” He blushes.

            “ _Yes_ to embarrassing stories, unfortunately _no_ for tomorrow.” Louis comments. “The kids.” He explains. “Aaron’s bringing them back tomorrow and I- well, miss them.”

            “That’s all right; we can do it some other night.” Niall agrees easily. He’s just the nicest lad.

            Louis phone buzzes.

            “Speaking of…” He sighs and takes his phone out of his pocket, seeing it’s Aaron’s name on the screen. “Hi”, Louis says.

            _“Hi, Lou”_ , his ex-husband says. The familiarity of the nickname never went away; Louis kind of wishes it had. _“They are having a late night, we were watching movies… Kids want to say goodnight now.”_

“Don’t let them wake up late tomorrow, Aaron.” Is what he answers. “If they do then they’ll sleep late again and it’ll be a nightmare to wake them up on Monday.”

            Louis feels like everyone at the table is paying attention to their conversation, but if he’s being honest everyone has been paying attention to him since Harry took him by the hand, so he shakes it off.

            After they ate, Harry’s hand went back to his thigh, and it’s still there, giving him reassuring squeezes every now and then. Louis covers Harry’s hand with his while on the phone.

            _“I know_.” Aaron replies. _“I’ll put you on speaker now.”_ He lets Louis know. _“Hi, dad.”_ Nate says and then Mandy, a couple of seconds later.

            “Hello, loves. D’you have a good day?”

            _“We did. We missed you.”_ Mandy offers.

            “Miss you too, little girl. You taking care of your brother?”

            _“I can take care of me, dad.”_

            “ _Myself_ , Nathan. Not me.” He corrects softly. “And I was just about to ask if you were taking care of your sister too.” Louis smiles despite himself.

            _“Yes!”_ Nate replies enthusiastically. _“Where are you, dad?”_

            “I’m at a dinner party for work, buddy. The one I have to go every year, remember?”

            _“Is Hazz there?”_ Mandy asks.

            “Y-yeah, Hazz is here.” He chuckles.

            _“Can we talk to him?”_ Louis can imagine her big blue eyes getting bigger, her bright teeth appearing as she opens an eager smile waiting for his answer.

            “They wanna talk to you.” He tells Harry in a low voice and- well, Harry’s big green eyes get bigger, and his bright teeth appear as he opens an eager smile waiting for the phone. “Okay, be quick, be polite. And then sleep, deal?” Louis speaks to the phone again.

            _“Okay, dad!”_ They reply in unison.

            “And don’t role your eyes. I can see you from here.”

            _“Yeah? How?”_ Nate dares.

            “I have magic.” He whispers and the kids chuckle, so does Harry, and Louis is pretty sure Anne sighs happily by his side. “Good night, I love you.”

            They say _love you too, where’s Harry?_ and Louis knows a lost cause when he sees – hears – one, so he hands the phone over to Harry, who takes it and makes himself a bit more comfortable on the chair.

            “Hiiii”, he drags out the words.

            Louis is only a bit fidgety for hearing just one side of the conversation.

            “Yes, we are.” He chuckles. “Hmhmm… No, really? C’mon, Nate, don’t surrender…” Harry chuckles again. “Ok, ok, I’ll try to help you but I’m also really bad at it… Maybe I’ll team up with Mandy and your dad will team up with you.” He muses. “We can _switch_ , Amanda, how brilliant is that?” He laughs.

            _God_ , Louis can’t be more endeared.

            “I miss you too already.”

            _Okay, he can._

            “See you tomorrow, okay?” Harry says. “Go to bed or you’ll give dad gray hairs and his hair is too beautiful to go gray right now.” He smiles. “Good night, babes, bye.” He hangs up and looks straight at Louis. “Amanda won in their laser-tag game today and Nate’s sore. We’re gonna take them one day and you’ll win for him, okay?” He speaks fast, handing Louis his phone back.

            “Okay.” Louis replies numbly.

            “Good, what were we talking about?” He turns back to the table. Anne kisses his cheek and says she loves him. Harry doesn’t understand much, but Louis does. _God, he does_.

 

-

 

            The party ends a bit after eleven, and some people come up to Harry to congratulate him and Cheryl and say goodbye, so Louis stands alone in the corner, waiting for him to finish, since Niall’s already gone home. It takes less than ten minutes for Anne to join him.

            “I hate this part.” She confesses.

            “Must be tiring.” Louis agrees. “But Harry’s great at it.” He amends, watching how naturally his boyfriend charms everyone around him.

            “A few more years and he’ll be better than Des.”

            “He will.” He nods again. “He’s already doing a great job.”

            “And you’ve been helping him lots.” Anne says. “Don’t think I don’t know, Louis.” He waits for her to continue. “You know… I worried. Like- like every freaking mother in the world.” She laughs. “H’s… _Really_ rich.”

            “I—”

            “Wait, please.” She smiles kindly. The _Harry_ smile, Louis calls it in his mind. “He’s rich, and handsome, and young and still a bit gullible… And I have every reason to be worried.”

            “Okay.”

            “But I met you and somehow I’m not.” Anne tells him. “Isn’t that strange?” She asks. “Between laughs and your kids and the glances you both exchange my worry went away. And now I’m just really happy for you too.” She says.

            “That’s… That’s good. I lost my ground for a couple of seconds there thinking you’d hate me.”

            “I don’t think anyone can hate you, Louis.” She offers. “Oh, I think my car is here…” Anne says looking outside. “I really look forward to seeing you. Maybe the twins, too, one of these days?”

            “I’d really love that.” He answers truthfully. “Thank you.” He hugs her. “Harry- he—he already means a lot to me.” Louis says over her shoulder.

            “You really mean a lot to him too.” She says as if it’s a secret. “Hope you find out just how much.” Anne smiles. “See you soon, Louis.

            “See you.” He sees her off and then enters the party again.

            Both Lou and Tom give him those _we knew_ looks and he chuckles, heading towards the bar to drink some scotch on rocks as he waits for Harry. It’s okay to get a good buzz going now - Louis went through a rollercoaster of emotions tonight after all.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one went by faster than any other. Jesus.  
> We're almost there. Can you believe it?
> 
> Much love as always,  
> M.
> 
> <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, there!  
> Your response to this story has been so lovely and so much more than what I was expecting. Thank you!

           

            They leave the party together at midnight-forty, getting to Harry’s place very few minutes before one am.        

            The apartment is quiet, a huge contrast from where they were minutes ago. Everything feels simpler and yet the air is electric – heavy. Louis didn’t _plan_ on coming here until the saw Harry tonight, but a part of him must’ve known that this was what was going to happen with what them both being turned on by the other for weeks on end now.

            It’s been three months of back and forth. Four months of Louis wanting, wanting and wanting; of watching Harry working at his desk and thinking about bending him right there and just taking him; of Harry saying he would let Louis do it if he were really being serious.

            Somehow, the two of them managed to wait. Something inside Louis’ brain told him that this should be a special moment.

            In all honesty, Louis never believed in the whole _“perfect moment”_ thing, but right now, as he watches the lights of Manhattan twinkling before his eyes from Harry’s spacious living room and feels his boyfriend’s arms circling his waist from behind, Louis starts to change his opinion.

            He sighs and rests his head back on Harry’s chest, feeling a chaste kiss on his temple. Harry’s lips are soft everywhere they touch, and Louis feels ignited by every place their bodies are in contact. Louis feels like he can fly without getting his feet off the ground. Harry makes him feel this way.

            “This is such a beautiful view” he comments in a low voice.

            “It is.” Harry agrees. “You’re more beautiful.” He then says low in his ear, and a shiver runs down Louis’ spine.

            He turns around and captures Harry’s lips between his, massaging them with his own and silently asking for permission to put his tongue in. Harry allows it, of course he does, and clutches Louis’ hips more firmly, still being gentle, like only he has managed to do in Louis’ entire life.

            They kiss with the most powerful city in the world at their feet, and Manhattan seems like nothing compared to the richness of them being together like this.

 

            Harry starts by Louis’ tie. He pulls it and starts to loosen the knot as Louis works on his blazer, making Harry stop so he can take it off. Next are both of their shirts, falling to the ground feather-like, their kiss never once wavering.

            Louis kisses him with something stuck in his throat – maybe a groan, maybe a loud moan, maybe the smallest whimper… Maybe the desire to say _I’m falling for you_. He doesn’t, not yet, at least. Instead, he breaks the kiss and offers Harry his neck, knowing the younger man has a favorite spot right there, under his ear. Harry kisses and bites and _marks_ , Louis is sure, and then, very slowly, he trails his tongue up until his lips are wetly connected to shell of Louis’ ear.

            _“Fuck me, please.”_ He asks ever so gently, but his tone is definite, too, as if he doesn’t want to give Louis the chance to say no.

            Louis would _never_ say no to him, he realizes, and that scares him to death, but right now he doesn’t worry about it. Right now, he bends to grab their clothes and then looks straight at Harry as he tells him to lead the way.

            They go to the second floor of Harry’s triplex penthouse, where Louis assumes the room is, and Harry indeed _leads_ the way, holding Louis by the hand and entwining their fingers, giving it a reassuring squeeze, answering Louis’ internal question that _yes, this feels perfect for me too_.

 

            Louis lets their shirts on a chair and takes the ties to bed with him. Like everything else in this place, Harry’s room is huge; Louis scans it for at least five seconds, finding two doors in there – one to a bathroom and another to the walk-in closet.

            When he pays attention to Harry again, the man’s standing by the side of his bed with two packs of condom and a bottle of lube, curling a strand of hair around his finger nervously. Louis doesn’t understand why he is nervous, but he doesn’t ask either, just walks closer one more time and kisses him the way Harry should always be kissed from now on: adoringly.

            Harry sits on the bed and Louis fits himself between his open legs, feeling the CEO’s hands unbuttoning his trousers. And Louis is hard, damn, he’s always at least a bit aroused around Harry, but this time he got it up after only a few kisses and somehow he isn’t even surprised by it.

            The atmosphere is erotic, is the thing. The lights are off, but there are two scented candles illuminating the room and at any other time Louis would make a joke about them, but as Harry massages his bulge through only his boxers and Louis clasps his hands on both sides of his shoulders, he can’t focus on anything else but them.

 

            You see, Louis has always believed that slow fucking was something that should come with time – real sex, the _making love_ kind of thing should only happen between stablished couples that had already given their hearts and souls to the other. Yet, here they are, acting like they have all the time in the world, and Louis doesn’t want to rush a thing.

            He wants to be _in_ this moment, in every second of it. He wants to keep it in the safest part of his brain, the dearest part of his heart. He wants to memorize the feeling in the pit of his stomach when they are both finally naked and horizontal in bed, when he is hovering over the most beautiful man he’s ever seen and he wants to memorize everything he sees flashing through Harry’s eyes.

            Louis wants to relive this feeling of _surprise_ he sees in there – the same one he feels, too, when their lips touch for the umpteenth time and he grinds down, circling his hips and feeling both of Harry’s hands on his ass, coming up to his spine ever so softly and going down again till they reach the back of his thighs, leaving a trail of fire behind.

            Louis wants to catalogue Harry’s whole body with his fingertips and then his tongue, and he wants to map it all out for the next time.

            “Love”, Louis calls him when kissing his neck. “Can I try something?” He asks.

            “Whatever you want.” Harry replies.

            Louis straddles Harry’s body then, searching for one of the ties he brought to bed with him. He takes Harry’s left wrist with a hand, kisses it on the inside and looks at him.

            “May I?” He asks. Well, he doesn’t _really_ ask, but Harry understands either way.

            _“Yes.”_ Harry moans and closes his eyes. “Yes, Lou, _yes_.” He voices.

            Louis then circles Harry’s wrist with a tie and brings his arm back to one side of the bed, tying it there in a loose knot, so Harry can get out of it any time he wants. He does the same with his right arm, and suddenly Harry’s just there, lying on his king-size bed spread out for Louis.

            _Fuck_. He thinks he says it out loud, he isn’t sure. He lies on top of him then, and kisses him one more time, tongue deep in his mouth, hands cradling his face.

            “You good?” He asks and searches his eyes for honesty – he finds it immediately.

            “The best.”

            For the first time in a long time, foreplay is not a blur to Louis. It’s exactly the opposite. It’s everything he loves and then some more, and Louis sees it all clearly.

            He sees when Harry arches his back the first time he flicks his nipple and how he swallows thickly when he takes one of them in his mouth. Louis sees it when Harry’s cock starts beading precome just from some slow, well placed stimulation, and Louis kisses every part of his upper body before he goes down.

            Harry seems like he wants to get out of the ties, but _not really_. He looks like he loves the struggle, he loves how he is unable to touch Louis, even though he wants to, but Louis gets to touch every part of him.

            And so does Louis.

            He leaves trails of kisses on his inner arms and neck and collarbones. He worships his torso and hipbones, familiarizing himself with every tattoo the man has on his perfect body.

            “You’re perfect”, Louis tells him, and Harry’s reply is a soft whimper when Louis finally starts to circle his rim with his index finger. He doesn’t pay attention and uses more lube than it’s necessary, but it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that Harry opens up _so_ easily for him; that Louis gets to leave a purple mark on his thigh as he puts the second finger in and that he gets to kiss him some more when he’s up to three fingers.

            Harry’s _tight_ , and hot, and Louis groans just by thinking what it’ll be like to be really _inside_ him.

            He pumps his fingers in and out at a steady pace, his other hand caressing Harry’s hair but not pulling it. Something about tonight makes him want to be caring with him – strong hair pulling and long ago promised slaps can wait a while longer.

            “I’m ready, _please_ , I’m— _oh,_ I’m so ready.” Harry says, eyes closed, face turned to one side, almost buried in the pillow.

            Louis squeezes the base of his dick to release some pressure and rolls on the condom, closing his eyes for a few seconds, and schooling himself not to come too soon. He wants this to _last._

            “I’m gonna free you now.” Louis says, and Harry opens his mouth. “I want you to touch me, too.” He lets him know. Harry simply nods, already seeming a bit out of it.

            Louis unknots Harry’s wrists and spreads his legs by the knees, and Harry allows him, coming up for a kiss again. Their tongues entwine and it’s tantalizing; it’s everything. It’s a kaleidoscope of emotions being opened, explored.

            He places a pillow under Harry’s back, and looks at him one more time for confirmation before guiding his cock inside.

            Nothing would’ve prepared him for this, though. No foreplay in the world, no romance novel, no sex guide in the whole planet would’ve prepared Louis for the feeling of entering Harry Styles.

            “ _Oh”_ , Louis lets out, going in slowly, now more for himself than for the other man.

            Harry keeps his hands by the side of his head until Louis is all in, balls deep. Then he pulls him down by the neck, his hands going up to Louis’ hair as Louis rests his forehead on Harry’s collarbone; he is going to ask Harry if he can move when Harry once again speaks right inside his ear.

            “Go easy on me”, he whispers, voice charged. “I’ve never loved anyone before.”

           

            Louis fucks him in real life the way he’s only ever heard of; the way people don’t believe it is possible, how he himself didn’t believe it was up until now. Louis fucks him and he feels their sex in his whole body; each thrust better than the other, their bodies moving together as Harry scratches his back and cries out his name.

            It is _breathtaking_ to watch Harry Styles surrender to pleasure. It is unexplainable when his own eyes fill up with tears as they get closer and closer to their orgasm. It is otherworldly what happens when they finally get there.

            They don’t exchange words, but they don’t need to. Harry’s loud moans fill the room and contrast perfectly with Louis small whimpers as he stills inside him, spilling into the condom right after Harry comes between their bodies.

            Harry kisses him then, again. He hugs Louis and kisses him not letting their bodies separate. Louis feels _salt_ in his mouth and he doesn’t know whose tears he’s swallowed, he just knows that he wants to keep doing this for the rest of his life. That once or one thousand times with Harry isn’t enough for him.

            “I don’t ever want to let you go.” He confesses to Harry.

            “So don’t.” Harry answers. “I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me.”

            Louis doesn’t answer, instead, he kisses him again and starts working on round two, in which they sixty-nine.

            In the tub, at almost three am, Harry eats Louis’ ass and he comes for the third time, collapsing right there and being carried to bed – not being used to so many orgasms anymore.

           

            “Still awake?” He asks Harry after minutes and minutes of silence. Harry doesn’t answer. Louis pulls him closer, the air conditioner allowing them to be glued together and covered. “I am scared, H.” He speaks to the sleeping man in his arms. “There are a thousand things that can go wrong between us, and I am worried about each one of them.”

            Louis sighs.

            “But I’m too selfish not to try with you. Because you, Harry Styles, are everything I’ve ever looked for.” He says. “I’m starting to think you’re the only thing I’ve ever looked for.” Louis kisses his nape. “I can’t go back now.” He then says more to himself than to Harry, and as he waits for sleep to take him over, he finds out that _even if_ he could, he _wouldn’t_.

 

-

 

            They wake up together, sort of. Louis comes to first, feeling Harry’s hair tickle his face, and as he starts moving, Harry wakes up too, or at least he thinks Harry does. He moves a bit and grinds his ass back, and Louis half-hard cock likes it. _It would be so easy to just slip inside_.

            He kisses Harry’s shoulder to make sure he’s awake, and when the younger man gives him more access, rutting back one more time, Louis has his confirmation. The only thing he does is stretch his arm to the nightstand and grab another condom, and next thing he knows he’s fucking Harry sideways, stifling moans in his hair and stroking the CEO’s hard dick over his waist.

            Harry comes with a silent cry, mouth agape and eyes shut; Louis stills inside of him, and muffles a moan while he bites Harry’s shoulder.

            What a great morning.

 

            “Good morning.” Louis laughs quietly in Harry’s neck and Harry turns around.

            “Morning, gorgeous.” He says it back, an easy smile on his face, curls everywhere. He is stunning.

            Harry leans in and they kiss lazily for a few moments, just enjoying each other’s presences. Harry grabs Louis by the thighs and makes him straddle his own body.

            “I dreamed of you riding me.” Harry tells hi cheekily.

            “You don’t say!” Louis jokes and then leans down, pecking his mouth one more time. “Put this in our program, then.”

            “It already is.” He chuckles back. “God, I’m sticky.” Harry complains looking at his own stomach.

            “Shower?” Louis suggests already getting up. Harry grabs his hand and follows him into the ensuite.

           

            They’re sat at the kitchen island when Louis decides to bring up the topic; the one thing that’s been bothering him since yesterday.

            “So…” He begins. “You want to give me a promotion?” Louis asks. Straight to the point is easier, he reckons.

            “Louis, that’s not how I wanted you to find out.”

            “Well, that’s how I did.”

            “I know, I’m sorry.” Harry drops his fork. “Look- you… You _have_ to know that you deserve it.” He tells him.

            “What kind of promotion are we talking about, Hazz?” Louis _is_ curious.

            “You studied business, right?” He questions and Louis nods. “Yeah, I know, it was rhetorical.” Harry laughs lightly. “I want you to be the head of our financial team.”

            “Wha—”

            “Terry is retiring. Or just leaving the company, I’m not really sure. But word from Chicago is that this is her last year in _Styles’ Cosmetics_. You’re smart, Louis. You’re smart and you’re good with numbers and you’re creative and— _and you deserve it so bad_.”

            “Head of financial team is way too much, Harry.” He says constricted.

            “It’s not.”

            “You wouldn’t have thought of me if I weren’t your boyfriend.” Louis insists.

            “But you _are_.”

            “So this _is_ why you want me to be promoted, isn’t it? Cause it’s better if you’re in a relationship with the _head of financial_ than the secretary?”

            “Executive assistant.”

            “Semantics.” He shrugs. “And you didn’t deny. Fuck.” Louis gets up. “I need to go get the kids, we’ll talk later.”

            “Louis, you’re putting words in my mouth. I didn’t say anything.” Harry gets up too, looking frustrated.

            “That’s okay, Harry. I need to go, kids will be there soon.”

            “I said I’d meet them there with you-”

            “Well, I don’t want you to.” He spats out and he might as well have slapped Harry, because he goes pale instantly, eyes wide and mouth open. “Shit, I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry.”

            “I don’t have to see them if you don’t want me to. But  I’ll drive you there anyways.”

            “It’s not nec—”

            “I either drive you or pay somebody to do it, either way you’re not taking the train on a Sunday exhausted the way you are.” Harry insists.

            “You can drive me.” Louis mumbles. “And of course you can see them, I’m being ridiculous and immature.”

            “It’s okay if you need some time from me”, Harry says lowly, putting on a shirt and then grabbing the car-key. “Just don’t ruin this perfect night and morning because you’re paranoid of what people will think about you when you get promoted.”

            “ _If_.”

            “ _When_.”

            “I have to accept it, you know?”

            Harry snorts.

            “You’re too proud, but you’re not an idiot, Lou.” Harry huffs out and walks out of the flat. Louis simply follows him.

 

            The drive to Queens is silent, the radio being the only thing to fill in the empty space between them and Louis kind of hates it. He hates it because since day one that was one of his favorite things to do with Harry: stay in silence and still be comfortable. Now, well… Now they don’t really have that, and this bothers him.

            It bothers him all the way to Queens, but he doesn’t even have time to apologize for being ridiculous one more time and kiss it better, because once Harry parks in front of Louis house, they’re met with Aaron already there, talking to the kids on the sidewalk.

            _Shit_ is the first thing that goes through Louis’ mind because he really didn’t want them both to meet anytime soon, but, as it is, he takes a deep breath and exits Harry’s _Bentley_ already too aware of his ex-husband’s judgemental stare.

 

            Harry is as cool as a cucumber when he exits the car looking like a fucking movie star, placing his sunglasses on his head to hold his hair back while he circles the vehicle to open the door for Louis to come out, too. One would think he’s only doing that to show off to Aaron, but truth is he always does that. Louis always feels properly wooed by him.

            “Daaaad!” Nate is the first one to run and hug Louis, and he watches from over the little boy’s shoulder Amanda already in Harry’s arms.

            “We missed you!” She exclaims as Louis walks closer and soon enough the four of them are hugging. It’s _so_ family-like that it stings in Louis’ chest. _This is too fast. This is not a fairytale_ , he tells himself as he puts Nate down.

            He tells the kids he missed them to and asks them one more time if they had fun while Nate and Mandy speak over each other trying to catch Louis’ and Harry’s attentions at the same time.

            Louis puts Nate down, ruffles Mandy’s hair and walks towards Aaron, searching for the houses’ key in his pockets.

            “Hi, Aaron.” He smiles.

            “Hi, Lou.” His ex-husband replies. “We’ve been waiting for fifteen minutes.” Aaron lets him know unnecessarily.

            “You’re always late for everything, so I didn’t rush. ‘M sorry.” Louis apologizes politely. “Hazz.” He calls Harry; it’s the right thing to do. “This is Aaron. Aaron, this is my boyfriend.” He doesn’t stutter. He’s so proud of himself.

            Harry absolutely beams.

            “Hello”, the younger man stretches his hand out to shake Aaron’s. “Harry Styles, nice to meet you.”

            “Styles?” Aaron raises his eyebrows. “Styles as in…?” He trails.

            “Yeah.” Harry dismisses.

            “I see.” Louis’ ex-husband smirks. _Of course_. Son of a bitch. “Louis, d’you mind if we talk for a couple of minutes?”

            “I do, actually, now’s not really a good time, I- the kids.”

            “I can go inside with them if you’d like?” Harry offers, being the best person in the world as pretty much always.

            Louis just nods.

            “Loves, can you go inside with Harry for a while, so I can talk to your father?” Louis asks them and the twins simply nod, going towards Aaron to say goodbye and then pulling Harry inside, each holding one of his hands.

            Louis can’t help but notice how they seem more like themselves with his boyfriend than their own father, but he doesn’t comment on it. Some people are just better with kids, in general. Yep. That’s it.

 

            They go to a café a couple houses down Louis’ street. The woman at the counter already knows them; they used to go there a lot. Now the circumstances are different, but she still smiles everytime.

            “How was yesterday?” Louis asks him, sitting at a table on the sidewalk.

            “It was good, we played laser-tag after lunch and then went home to have a quiet evening.” Aaron replies. “They’re really- uh, smart, Lou.”

            “Yes, they’re great.”

            “You’ve been doing a good job.”

            _I know. I don’t need your validation_. Louis nods.

            “What do you want, Aaron?” He asks, sighing.

            “So, you’re dating.” His ex starts and Louis tries his hardest not to roll his eyes. “You’re dating  Harry Styles. New CEO of _Styles Cosmetics_. Am I right?”

            “You are.”     

            “You lucky bastard. Very sneaky, Lou. Smart.” He chuckles. Louis frowns.

            “I don’t even want to know what you’re implying.”

            “Oh Louis, c’mon, you gotta think I’m stupid!” Aaron laughs unabashedly now. “I hardly believe you’re with him for his amazing personality.”

            “He’s got a great cock too.” Louis smiles.

            “And millions in his bank account, of course.”

            “Don’t you dare.” Now he stares. “This has absolutely _nothing_ to do with our relationship. I actually, _really_ like him. And so do the kids. You’re not going to mess anything up. So control your damn misplaced jealously or whatever it is you’re feeling.”

            “Oh Lou! Lou, Lou, Lou…” The man laughs. “This is not going to last. There’s like- _no_ chance he wants you and the twins. Second he gets tired of your ass, which gets incredible by the month, by the way, he’s out of this affair, and you’re out of the company.”

            “Shut up.”

            “I got tired, Louis. Second he needs to spend more than one nice afternoon with them he’ll get tired too.”

            “I’m gonna slap you across the face if you don’t shut up.”

            Louis can actually feel the tears threatening to escape his eyes and he doesn’t want to cry in front of him, fuck, he _doesn’t_. But Aaron has a way with words that makes him rethink everything that’s ever happened.

            Because, you see, everything he is saying makes perfect sense. Louis was left alone with them once, and he probably will again, which… Damn.

            “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.” His ex-husband winks. “Anyways, I’d better go, got a date tonight since I’m kid-free.” He says it as he’s celebrating. “Have a nice afternoon, Lou.”

 

-

 

            The second Louis closes the door Harry notices something is different. His whole demeanor has shifted and he looks haunted, somehow. Harry’s helping Nate change his shirt and stops mid-torso to just stare at the boy’s father.

            “Lou?” He calls but Louis goes straight into the kitchen. “Go choose a movie with Mandy, then bring it here so we can all watch together, yeah?”

            “But Mandy wants princess movie”, Nathan whines.

            “She chose a MARVEL movie for you the other day, we can go through a princess one today, right?” He bargains and Nate still complains. “Tell you what, we can go out just the two of us to do whatever you want.”

            “Mandy will be jealous.”

            “I’ll go out with only her the other day, too.” Harry smiles. “And then on the third day we all go out together, maybe we’ll all go on a picnic.”

            Nathan seems to think.

            “AMANDA…” He runs inside their room yelling his sister and Harry gets up, going after Louis.

           

            “Babe.” Harry calls him and pulls him close by the waist. Louis hugs him by the neck and buries his face there. The second he feels Louis’ tears in his neck he squeezes him impossibly tight, kissing his hair. “Louis, what happened?”

            “I need to be alone for a bit, Hazz.” He says, clearing his throat. “I know I said you could stay, but I need you to go.”

            “Louis.” Harry sighs. He’s a bit tired of being shut out. Especially now. “What did he say to you?”

            “The truth, I suppose.”

            “And the truth is…?”

            “We’re moving too fast, this—” he gestures between them, “this is going too fast. I need to- _think._ ”

            “About _us_?” Harry asks incredulous.

            “About everything.” Louis answers and, well, this isn’t a denial.

            And you see, Harry’s already in love with Louis – might’ve accidently told him yesterday during sex; definitely did. Harry needs, so bad, for Luis to be right there with him… But he also knows when to take a step back, he likes to think. Right now… Right now Harry takes a step back. Literally.

            “I’ll see you at work, Louis.” He tells him, and then kisses his forehead.

            “Hazz—” His boyfriend holds him by the elbow.

            “You said I needed to go. I’m going. Tell the kids I had an emergency or whatever you want. You decide.” Harry takes a deep breath and walks away for good.

 

-

 

            Everything is awkward on Monday… To say the least. Harry isn’t the kind of person who knows how to ignore other people, but he does feel like he’s entitled to a bit of pride when Louis walks in, after all, _Louis_ was the one who told him to leave, so Louis is the one who needs to come to him. And Harry doesn’t even know if he wants him to, not right now anyways.

            After Harry left his house yesterday, he drove straight to Niall’s and they drank a lot. On top of it all, Harry Styles has got a killer headache at the moment.

            Harry knows Louis has a few insecurities regarding their relationship – Louis never kept him in the dark. But the fact that he agreed to being _boyfriends_ to just back off the moment his ex-husband says something doesn’t settle well with Harry. So he gives himself the right to be upset, too. And he keeps being upset through the morning, even when Louis finally knocks on his door before lunch.

            “Hey, can I come in?” Louis asks for the first time in a long time.

            “Sure.” Harry doesn’t look up for his computer.

            “Wanna grab some lunch?”

            “No, thanks.” He replies. “Niall made me a sandwich last night, I brought it today, I’m all right. Have a good lunch.” The CEO says dismissively. Louis is taken aback and leaves the room without saying anything.

            It takes forty minutes for him to come back, having used less than his allowed lunchtime, but Harry isn’t even surprised. He’s finished eating by now, too, and when he sees Louis at his desk, Harry gets up to get himself some coffee in the office kitchen. When he returns to his room, Louis is there. Again.

            “Louis.” Harry sighs tiredly.

            There are three other people on the floor right now because Harry has a meeting at two pm, they’re probably waiting for him – also, they’re all staring at the two of them.      

            “Hazz, listen—”

            “Louis, we are at work.” Harry says.

            “D’you need me to schedule a meeting, then?” Louis tries to go for cheeky, but Harry doesn’t give in. Not now. “Harry.” He pleads.

            “You said you needed time to think. You didn’t even have twenty-four hours. I thought we were serious. I introduced you to my mother. I let the whole fucking company know how far up your ass their boss is. I stood up to Cheryl.” Harry says everything slowly, pointing everything he did right. “I thought we were going strong. I thought we were holding on. But if _think_ is what you wanna do, then for crying out loud, Louis, _think_ some more.” He tells the other man. “Now, if you wanna use your remaining fifteen minutes to talk about work, then let’s talk. If not, I got a meeting to prepare to.”

            Louis is speechless for at least thirty seconds, and fuck if this isn’t a new one, because in the six months Harry’s known this man he has never seen Louis speechless. He uses this break to sip from his coffee and when he circles his desk to get comfortable on his chair again, Louis speaks.

            “I’d like to talk about work.”

            “Okay. What would you like to talk about?”

            “My promotion.”

            “Are we going to fight? Because I don’t want our personal lives to interfere—”

            “Our personal lives already do, love.” Louis smiles kindly. Harry averts his gaze. “But no, we’re not going to fight. I’m looking for a compromise here.”

            Harry listens. He listens for a couple of minutes and yes, Louis is actually being reasonable, _who would’ve thought_?

            He agrees that he does deserve a promotion and that he busted his ass for this company, even when he had children to raise all by himself – he managed to finish college, to get a good education and to be a great asset to _Styles Cosmetics_. Harry loves the fact that Louis is finally giving himself the credit he deserves.

            However, he doesn’t think he’s ready for a leading position. Or, well, he thinks he is, but he also thinks that there are people who probably deserve more than him, and have more experience than him. Louis wants in on the team, yes, he just doesn’t think it’s fair to lead them now – maybe a few years down the road.

            “… If you don’t fire me, that is.” He finishes.

            Harry chuckles for the first time today.

            “Okay, we can do that.” Harry nods. “I’ll talk to some people, see what we’ll do. You’ll get your vacation soon, right?”

            “Next month, yeah. I always get my vacation days in July because not only the kids are home from school, but it’s also their birthday.”

            “Oh.” Harry widens his eyes. They might’ve told him that, but he certainly didn’t remember. “Okay, can you- would you start interviewing new people for your position, please?”

            “Uh—”

            “I’m going to need a new executive assistant, Louis. And while there are people in this company that could do that, I’d like to do the same thing my father did: give someone young and inexperienced the opportunity to, well, _be_ you.”

            “That’s great.” Louis smiles a real smile. “I’ll ask Nick to put on the website that we’re hiring in this department and I’ll start interviewing them.”

            “Okay. Good. I’m going to need you to train them too, if that’s okay. I realize I can’t get another _Louis_ , but- but I’d like them to be at least similar to you. When working, I mean.” Harry finishes.

            “That won’t be a problem.”

            “Okay then. That’ll be all, thank you, Louis.”

            “Harry…”

            “Not now. You need to think.” He snorts. “And honestly, so do I. I have a meeting. Have a good rest of day.”

            Louis recognizes his defeat and leaves the room without saying another word.

            The day continues weird despite their conversation, the only thing clear to Harry being Louis position in the company. He makes a mental note to talk to the board about his decision, ready to have to fight a little bit, and then proceeds to welcome the people who are there waiting for him.

            The meeting goes smoothly, but then again he just needs to approve of the final details of the new campaign. Of course he’d rather have Louis here with him, he’s got a great eye for this kind of thing, but, well, he needs to adjust his expectations.

            It’s all okay, only not really.

            Harry texts Niall to see if his friend is working tonight because he really doesn’t want to be alone, and when the clock shows it’s five o’clock, he collects his things to head to the bar where Niall will be waiting for him, preparing one of his favorite drinks.

            Louis follows him when he exits his room, stopping by his side while Harry waits for the elevator.

            “Hazz…”

            “Can I do something for you?” Harry asks.       

            “You can look at me, for starters.” Louis’ voice is… Hurt, Harry thinks, and his heart breaks a little because that’s not his intention at all. He just needs a bit of space now too.

            He looks at Louis. He’s still every bit as gorgeous as he was at one pm.

            “Look, Lou…” He tells him. “I like you. No- I—I more than like you. I’m- I’m really stupid about you, to be honest. _Stay-awake-at-night-thinking-about-your-eyes_ stupid. So, I want you. This is where _I_ am at our relationship.” He looks into his eyes. “And I want everything. The date nights out, the lazy nights in, time with the kids, family gatherings- everything. That’s what I’m asking for. That’s what I’m ready for.”

            “H.”

            “I need you to make up your mind once and for all, Louis. And I need you to only speak to me about _us_ when you have an answer, all right? Preferably not at work.” The elevator door opens. “That’s my cue.” He chuckles.

            Louis pulls him by the shoulder very quickly for him to react and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

            “I more than like you too.” Is all he says and then the elevator doors close.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll post the final chapter in a couple of days, just need to revise it.  
> Much love as always <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Months ago I got this DM on twitter asking me if I could please write a story in which Louis had kids, struggled with money and Harry was rich. It took me less than a day to come up with this, because I got so excited that someone wanted ME to write something for them...
> 
> This is the result, I guess.  
> I hope I didn't let any of you down.  
> Thank you for reading it. Much, much love as always, M.
> 
> P.S: end notes are important, but only read them after you're finished with this chapter :)

            Two weeks. Louis takes two weeks to give Harry an answer. During those two weeks lots of things happen, but nothing does at the same time. For starters, the twins refuse to go to Aaron’s again until they hang out with Harry. Actually, all the kids do is _talk_ about Harry and why he didn’t stay last time for the movie.

            Nathan is more observant, so he asks more questions. He also is the one who tells his Nan that _dad hasn’t been very happy lately_ , which is why Louis ends up in his mother’s lap, at twenty-nine years old, on a Friday night while his sister and her boyfriend take his children out to the park.

            “I messed up pretty badly, I know.” Louis sighs. “But ma, Aaron had a point.”

            “Aaron is a dick, Louis.” His mother voices frustrated.

            “Mom.” He chuckles.

            “It’s true. He can’t stand to see you happy, that’s the point. If Harry wants everything with you then you deserve to have everything with _him_. Everything your idiot of an ex-husband didn’t give you.” Jay says rapidly as she runs her fingers through his hair.

            “I wish there was a way to make my insecurities go away, I mean—Harry has every right to be pissed off with me. We agreed to make this work, and I just went and changed my mind the day after.”

            “So?”

            “So what, mom?”

            “So what do you do now?” She asks, her hand stilling in his hair, thumb stroking lightly Louis’ forehead.

            “I—I don’t-”

            “What’s the one thing I’ve been teaching you since you were little? The one thing you kept saying you’d pass on to your kids and you do?”

            “Love fixes everything.” He whispers.

            “D’you love him, Lou?”

            “I think I could. I think—I think I already do.” Louis looks at her and then sits up. “I’m definitely _in_ love with him, but those are two different things, aren’t they?”

            “Yes.”

            “But I- maybe… Both?”

            “I’d say definitely.” Jay chuckles. “But then again I never even met him.” She raises her eyebrows disapprovingly.

            Louis wants to change that. He wants to do better, _be_ better. For once in his life, he wants to do something for himself; for the first time in God knows how many years he wants not to be influenced by what Aaron thinks of him.

            Because Louis _deserves_ this. He deserves to be happy. He doesn’t really know if he deserves someone like _Harry_ , but Harry’s here and Harry’s willing and Louis is pretty sure that Harry’s in love with him too. And _love fixes everything_.

 

            Louis waits for the kids to get home with his sister and Tommy just so he can tell them he is going out. Mandy asks where, and Louis doesn’t lie. Needless to say, both twins celebrate. They’ve been nagging Louis for the past fifteen days as to _why_ they haven’t seen Harry again yet and Louis never gave them a proper answer.

            It’s in their eyes, is the thing. In Amanda’s _and_ Nathan’s eyes: they adore Harry. They know him so little when compared to their dad and yet they’re so much smarter. They knew from the beginning, Louis thinks. He’s an idiot.

            “Can you tell him about our birthday, dad?” Mandy asks when he’s about to leave.

            It’s seven pm; he doesn’t know if Harry will be home when he finally manages to get there, but he must try – he cannot keep postponing it.

             “I’ve already told him, but I’ll invite him properly.” Louis smiles. “Will you behave with Grandma?”

            They both nod and smile mischievously. Such a Louis smile. He can’t stress how _lucky_ and _proud_ he feels when he sees something of himself in them.

            “You know they will…” Johanna rolls her eyes.

            “You’re ruining them.” Louis jokes.

            “That’s what grandmothers are for, you idiot.” Jay whispers in his ear and kisses him on the cheek. “Go get your boy.”

            “Thanks, ma. Love you so much…”

            Louis hugs her, eyes shut tight, and sooner than expected he feels four little arms around them.            

            “Love you.” He says to the kids.

            “We love you too, dad.” Mandy replies.

            “And you, nan.” Nathan tells Jay. Always the inclusive. Louis is doing a good job.

 

-

 

            It takes him over an hour to get to Harry’s apartment, especially because he stops by his own house to sort his looks. If he’s doing this, he wants to do this right.

            Oh, God, he’s nervous. It’s Friday, it’s nine pm, Harry probably isn’t even here. He’s rich, he’s gorgeous, and he’s nice. He’s probably on a date with someone or heading to a club, he’s not going to be sitting on his couch waiting for Louis.

            _Please be home, please be home, please be home_ , he mentalizes as the doorman calls up Harry’s apartment.

            “Good evening, Mr. Styles. A man named Louis Tomlinson wants to come up and see you.” He makes a face. “I see. All right then. Have a good night, sir. Thank you.” The man hangs up. “He says you can go up.”

            Louis lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and enters the elevator, his whole body in shock.

            He’s pondering whether is better to ring the doorbell or knock on the door, but it doesn’t really matter because when he gets to the penthouse the door is already opened and Harry’s in the living room.

            Harry Styles is a _vision_. He’s only wearing tight black jeans and his hair’s falling onto his bare shoulders perfectly, like always. He smells like his Calvin Klein cologne Louis loves so much and he’s just—he’s _beautiful_.

            “Hi.” Louis says, stepping into the apartment and closing the door behind him.

            “Hi.”

            “Am I—are you—are you going out? Am I interrupting your plans?”

            “Uh- I… Niall.” Harry says without making much sense. “I’m supposed to go out with Niall tonight. He wants to try out a new club.” He explains it better now.

            “Could you maybe—uh, possibly raincheck with him?” Louis shifts on his two feet.

            “Why?” Harry asks.

            “I have an answer for you. You told me to come to you with an answer and I- I know we had an exhausting day at work with the new campaign, I know you maybe just want to drink the night away, but—my kids keep asking about you. They keep thinking about you and honestly so do I. And I… I have an answer for you. _I have an answer for you, Hazz._ ” Louis steps closer.

            Harry sighs and takes his phone out of his pocket. He texts for a few seconds, and then looks up at Louis.

            “Go on then…”

            “I am madly in love with you.” Louis confesses. “You told me to go easy on you—the night we had sex. I heard that. You told me to go easy on you because you had never loved anyone. And I—I was careless, yeah. I was careless because I’ve loved someone before, and I got my heart broken and was left to fend for myself and I—I. I was careless with your heart when you asked me not to.”

            “And by being careless with your heart I found out I was being careless with mine, too, because I- I am _madly_ in love with you, Harry Styles.” Louis tells him and a smile appears on Harry’s face, his cheeks blush, and Louis takes one more step closer. “I don’t know if I can see myself with you in a couple of years. I don’t know if  we can grow old together… Not yet.”

            “But I want to find out. Because what I _do_ know is that you make me happy. I’m comfortable and I’ve never felt _safer_ than when I’m with you. And this plus my mother pulling my ear _plus_ my kids asking incessantly about you got me thinking… Isn’t that enough? Enough to say: _okay, let’s take a chance?!_ ”

            “I think it is.” Louis voices. “I can’t promise you or _me_ that it’ll turn out great. But I can promise you that it’ll be _so_ worth it. I’ll try so hard, Harry. For real this time. That is, if—if you’ll have me.”   

            One second or one year passes, Louis isn’t sure, but to him Harry moves in slow motion, until they’re connected head to toe; Harry’s arms are around him and Harry’s smell invades his nostrils and just—Louis has missed just _hugging_ him, being around him, how is that even possible?

            “Don’t pull that crap on me again, Louis.” Harry says to his hair. “You scared me to death.” He looks at him, eyes filled with water.

            “I’m sorry.”

            “I’m madly in love with you too.” The CEO lets him know, sniffling a bit.

            Louis can’t wait anymore, so he kisses him.

            Harry Styles is an entire universe, and kissing him is like discovering new galaxies – like going on an adventure in outer space and finding the brightest starts to taste. Harry tastes like everything good in this world and others, and their tongues meet like old friends in a rehearsed dance that was specially choreographed just for them.

            It’s so special that it’s ethereal.

            They walk towards Harry’s room, discarding their clothes in the process and falling on the bed cackling up laughs. Louis finds it ridiculous that he let this get away even for a second, let alone two weeks, and as Harry shuts his mouth for good, taking his dick between his perfect lips, Louis promises himself he will never, _not ever_ do this again.

 

-

 

            It’s really late when they finish their sexual activities and Harry offers to order some food, since they’re both hungry. Louis laughs and says he needs to call his mother, let her know he won’t be going home tonight after all and if it’s okay for the kids to stay there. Harry watches him get up from bed and falls back again, burying his face in the pillow.

            _God, I’m so in love_. He can’t believe this is what being in love feels like.

            Louis goes and comes back and Harry’s still lying there, just being silly, thinking about Louis’ curves, and Louis’ smile, and Louis’ eyes and—

            “Come kiss me again, please.” Harry asks.

            Louis complies. He lies by his side and pulls him in for a sweet kiss. One of those long-term relationship kind of kisses that Harry’s never had.

 

            He orders the food while Louis watches him with an easy smile on his face, and when he finishes, he needs to address to the elephant in the room. Or, well, in his mind.

            “Can we talk some more?” He asks him.

            “Sure.” Louis replies, looking at him.

            This is intimate. Much better than having lunch to discuss a relationship. They are both naked in bed on a summer night, both lying on their sides and holding hands in the middle. This is how Harry always wants to have important conversations with Louis from now on.

            “What did he say to you? That made you freak out on me that day?” Harry asks it bluntly. “Because I keep going over that day in my mind, and everything was so perfect—you were already pissed because of the job thing, but- our personal life was so good. And then you just asked me to leave.”

            “I’m so sorry”, Louis leans in to peck his mouth, quickly going back to his previous position.

            “I forgive you. I do. I just want to understand.”

            “He said a bunch of triggering stuff. About money and work and—and how he got tired of me because of the kids so you would too. And there you were in my house, with my babies and I. I freaked out.”

            “God, Lou, I hate him so much.” Harry closes his eyes.

            “He was a great person, you know? When we met. He says I ruined us because I forced kids on him. Maybe I did, but he—he seemed _so_ on board with it. He was the one who chose the surrogate and everything.”

            “And then he just changed his mind?”

            Louis shrugs.

            “I don’t know, honestly. He just kept blaming everything on the kids and I get it, you know? It _is_ a lot of work, and sometimes—sometimes I wished I weren’t a father either.” He confesses in the smallest of voices, doesn’t even look up. “When they were up all night and I had to work the other day, or when one got sick, so the other got sick too and then I got sick… When I didn’t have money to buy them something they really wanted…”

            “Louis.”

            “It’s fucking hard, Harry.” Louis cries out. “Everything is. From bathing to feeding to playing and watching movies you really aren’t in the mood for, sometimes. But also—it’s the most magical thing in the world, you know? The first words, the first steps, the first time they tell you they love you and everytime after that.” He smiles. “I think Aaron only saw the bad times at the beginning. Nowadays I don’t think he cares much. They’re almost five, they’re polite, smart. They can shower by themselves...”

            Louis keeps talking about the kids and Aaron. About how he thinks his marriage was doomed from the start, looking back, because he didn’t know Aaron at all – not like he thought he did when he got into this. He tells Harry about how this made him feel less of a person for the longest time, because someone who was supposed to be forever with him left when everything got hard.

            Louis explains how his mind works towards _Harry_ himself. How he is in love with every single part of Harry, the ugly and the bad, the clumsy and the organized parts of his heart and brain, but how he wouldn’t blame Harry at all if he didn’t feel the same.

            “… That’s something that he said and I… I actually agreed with. Things moved too fast between the two of us, _we_ moved too fast. You met the kids too fast. But then again you met them before we started dating, and by accident, so, I don’t know, it made me think you were okay with it and I just—.”

            “Of course I was. I am.” Harry assures him.

            “Yes, but do you get how hard it was for me to believe it? Especially when _he_ pointed it out? I’d been with Aaron for over five years and he just packed his things and left. When he said you’d do the same I just…”

            “Believed him.” Harry completes the sentence.

            Louis sighs and the food arrives.

            Harry gets up to answer the door and pay the delivery guy (yes, he puts on boxers _and_ a shirt!), and then goes back to the kitchen with the food, where Louis is already getting plates and cutlery.

            The conversation changes to a lighter topic when Louis comments about how much he likes this restaurant, and that Harry’s absolutely spoiling him. Harry doesn’t deny it. And for the first time Louis doesn’t complain. Doesn’t complain _much_.

            Harry figures it’s not the time to have the money conversation yet.

 

            They finish eating in silence and leave the dishes in the sink, preferring to shower instead and then go back to bed. It’s almost three am and somehow Harry doesn’t feel sleepy at all.         

            “Can I just say…” Harry starts. “I agree that things moved fast. Faster than they should have since you have two children to worry about. Even my mom was worried about it, and she’s the most like—chill person I know.”  Harry chuckles.

            “I really liked her.” Louis tells him.

            “She really liked you too.” He says and his boyfriend blushes. “When I met you, that first day in the office… I thought you were hot.” Louis laughs. “I promise, this was the first thing in my mind. And then I developed this ridiculous crush on you, thinking I’d never have a chance. I already told you that.”

            “I know. You’re crazy.” Louis laughs.

            “But with time I just—I got to know you and now I see that you’re much like this city that I have, admittedly, grown to adore so much. “Harry smiles big. “You are my Manhattan from the sky.”

            “Okay, what?” Louis asks, frowning a bit, but with a smile on his face.

            Harry gets ready to explain.

            “Manhattan is neat and tidy when we’re here, way up high. When you look down on the city everything is just—calm, you know? But we both know that the streets are lined with a fine mess inside.” He laughs lightly. “And I wanna come down and walk around your mind.”

            “You sap…” Louis rolls over and hugs him.

            “I don’t know my way through a maze of gray skyscrapers, Lou. But I’m willing to learn. You can take my word for that.” He promises.

            “ _God_ , I love you.” The older man smiles and kisses him again. Harry kisses back but it’s messy, their smiles getting in the way.

            “I love you too.” He says, dumbfounded. Harry always thought he’d be the first one to say it. But here is Louis again, surprising him.

 

-

 

            The end of June and the beginning of July are kind of crazy to Louis. There are just too many things happening in both his personal and professional lives. For instance, he interviews candidates for his now _old_ position as executive assistant and decides on a guy called Liam Payne.

            Liam’s sharp and quick-learning, but Louis still spends many hours training him and telling him everything he needs to know about Harry. Apart from that, he starts his own training himself as part of the financial team and even though it’s more technical than what he is used to, it’s also less hectic. Plus, for the first time in his life Louis will actually have money to _spend_. This is insane.

           

            His personal life is chaotic as well. He and Harry, as a couple, need to find time to hang out with all of their friends and family and still have time for their friends.

            Harry first meets Jay on a week day when he decides to drive Louis home and she’s there with the kids. They all have dinner together and make plans for a picnic on the weekend, which is how on a Sunday they end up in Central park with everyone: Lottie, Tommy, Jay, the twins, Stan, Angie, Niall, Anne and Robin – whom Louis meets that day.

            One the day of the picnic, Harry also promises the kids they can have a bouncing castle at their birthday party, and Louis and his boyfriend fight about that in front of everyone like two teenagers.

            “Your mom agreed, it’s not like I did this behind your back, I would never.” Harry almost rolls his eyes. He doesn’t. Good boy. “Jay, help me out here.”

            “You’re being unreasonable, boo.” Jay says and continues drinking her orange juice.

            “But _I’m not_!” Louis argues. “He can’t go spending money on my kids like this.”

            “Yes, I can.” Harry says back to him. Both Mandy and Nathan are completely unaware of this, playing soccer with Niall and Tommy a few feet away from them. “It’s _nothing_ , Lou, and they’ll get so happy. Please stop fighting with me about stupid stuff.”

            “It’s not stupid. You can’t go giving my kids things that I can’t.” He then says in a lower voice. Lottie is gracious enough to pretend she doesn’t hear it and starts up a conversation with Anne and Robin.

            “Come here.” Harry pulls him by the hand. Louis gets up against his will. “Come here.” His boyfriend pulls him in again, by the waist. “A bouncing castle is _nothing_ compared to the things you’ve done—the things you _do_ for your children and they know that. We can talk about this more extensively later, if you’d like, but for now, Lou—you and I are in this together, right?”

            “Yes.”

            “We’ve only been official for a few months, _I know that_ , I’m not stupid. And I know you have your doubts about how long we’ll last but I don’t. _I don’t_. I already know that we’ll grow old together.”

            Louis shows him his tongue – _yes, he’s five_. Harry quickly pecks his mouth.

            “And you’re going to start to make more money now, and you’ll be able to buy lots of new things for your kids, and it’ll be awesome, yeah, but… You’re dating a millionaire, Louis. This is my status. I have money that I can’t count. Have I earned that? Probably not.”

            “You’re doing your best to earn having it, though.” Louis points out.

            “Only because I have you by my side.” Harry chuckles. “Now, I’m not throwing cars on your way or paying your mortgage, or the kids’ school…”

            “They go to a public school.” Louis rolls his eyes.

            “… Even though, _sometime in the future,_ I’d like to pay for their education.” Harry completes. “I’m not splurging on crazy stuff, ok? I’m just—spoiling them a bit, because that’s what stepdads are supposed to do.” As soon as he says it, he widens his eyes. _Stepdad_ is a very meaningful word. “I- I mean, I didn’t. You know.”

            Louis hugs him.

            “I am very thick”, he admits then, “and we might fight about this again, and then again. But don’t stop saying nice things to me whenever I act stupidly, okay? I don’t feel like I’m using you or anything, and I don’t care anymore if that’s what people think, but it’s still hard.” Louis explains.

            “I won’t stop saying nice things to you, I promise.”     

            Louis kisses Harry on the cheek.

            “Thank you”, he smiles, “they’re going to love the bouncing castle.”

 

            In the end, Louis does too, jumping on it like an idiot at the end of the party, holding his kids’ hands while Harry takes silly pictures.

            It’s their best birthday yet, Nate and Amanda say, hugging Harry and Louis and not really paying much attention to Aaron by their side. And as Louis cuts the cake with them, in that warm July afternoon, he looks at the man he loves and thinks that things can only get better from here on out.

 

-

 

             When September rolls around, life is easier. And it’s not a weird kind of easy, one that Louis doubts that is actually happening. He wakes up at the same time to drop the kids at school and then go to work, and he gets home just as late. Still, something has shifted. Something inside.

            Now Louis worries less about bills and more about cooking a proper dinner. Harry comes to visit the kids at least twice a week, and though they’re yet to go to Harry’s apartment, it’s not far from happening, since the CEO is planning a family lunch on his roof to celebrate Mandy’s recital on the weekend. She can’t wait, can’t stop talking about it.

 

            “Dad, is my tutu ready?” She asks for the hundredth time on Friday.

            “Yes, auntie Lottie’s bringing it as soon as she gets off work.” Louis answers patiently, once again.

            “And are you doing to film me?” Amanda smiles big.

            “Hazz is.”

            “He said I can hold the camera!” Nathan says proudly, looking up from his videogame.

            “Dad, no, Nate’s going to film wrong.” The girl whines, sitting on his lap.

            “I will not, dad.”

            “He won’t, Mandy. Harry will teach him.”

            “But daaad…”

            And here starts a discussion that Louis is only partly present, because sometimes he tunes out of his children’s bickering.

            He only goes back to paying full attention to their conversation when Amanda asks if her father is going to be there too. And that’s exactly how she asks: _will my father be there?_

            Louis always thought _father_ was a bit impersonal, he doesn’t really know why, but the kids haven’t called Aaron _dad_ our _papa_ in a while. He can’t say he minds much, but he also can’t help but notice that the more they grow up, the more detached they get from Aaron. It’s okay, he tries to tell himself. It’s okay if they don’t recognize him much as a father figure anymore. Louis is okay with that.

            What Louis isn’t okay with is the fact that Aaron doesn’t make an effort either. He acts more like a babysitter than a father, and more than once he’s thought about simply ending this _two weekends a month_ agreement that they have, since both parties are never very interested in being together.

            Last weekend Nathan actually cried _not_ to go to Aaron’s because Stan was coming into town and he’d much rather stay with his “uncle” than his _father_. Amanda also argued that she wanted to stay, because “he is going to take us out and then we are going to go home and do nothing”. It was the first time Louis felt bad in a while.

            Still, they went. And Louis hung out with Stan, Niall and Harry at a bar in Soho – drank more than he should have, forgot his worries and got filthy with his boyfriend in the backseat of his car. The ache in his chest didn’t disappear completely, but Harry held him through the night once they made it home, so Louis felt a little bit better.

            And that was when he realized that there was, there _is_ a huge possibility that his life’s problems are never going to go away; they’re probably gonna stick with him forever. He won’t stop worrying when his kids turn eighteen. He won’t magically forget everything that has happened. He won’t be someone who went through life without collected sorrows.

            However, he will be someone who managed to overcome it all with hard work and love. Always love. And he’ll have Harry by his side.

 

-

 

            Harry is so nervous that it seems like he’s the one who is going to dance on a stage with a bunch of people watching him this morning. His mom has been trying to calm him down since he left the apartment and Robin has reminded him more than once that she is _five_ , and it’s a school recital, “it’s not like she’s auditioning for Julliard”. But…

            “She’s been talking about this for months”, Harry argues. “She’s so excited.” 

            “I’m sure it’ll go great, she’s just so pretty all the time.” Anne coos.

            “She is.”

            They drive a few more minutes and finally arrive at Amanda and Nathan’s school, and it’s, well, empty. Harry checks his watch and they’re forty minutes early. WELL, NOBODY CAN BLAME HIM FOR BEING CAREFUL, OKAY?

            His mother and stepfather laugh, but neither say anything, just walk with him and save front-row seats for everyone who is coming. Harry even saves a place for Aaron and his boyfriend, because _he is that good_. He’s got an elevated soul, he’s sure.

            Louis arrives twenty minutes before the presentation, but Harry only sees him ten minutes later, because he had to drop Amanda backstage.

            “I understand you got here at eight twenty?” He laughs hugging him. Harry doesn’t understand. “Your mom texted me.” Louis explains.

            “You were making fun of me behind my back?” The CEO pretends outrage to his own mother.

            “Oh, darling, it was very funny indeed.” Jay says and moves to hug him. “Good to see you again.”

            “You too.” Harry kisses her cheek. “I’d like to say that if it weren’t for me you’d all be sitting in the back right now.” He pouts.

            “They’re idiots. Thank you, Harry.” Lottie says and hugs him too.

            They all find their places quite quickly. Nathan doesn’t use his, choosing Louis’ lap instead so he can be really close to Harry and learn how to handle the camera. Harry teaches him the right buttons to press and tells him he won’t need to hold the camera at all, since he brought a tripod.

            Harry lets Nate play with the camera so he can get used to it, and barely notices when Louis rests his head on his shoulder, fitting it in the crook of  Harry’s neck. Few things make Harry this warm and fuzzy inside.

            “Thank you for this”, Louis whispers. “I love you.”

            “There’s nowhere I’d rather be.” Harry smiles and lifts Louis’ head by the chin to place a sweet kiss to his mouth. Nathan is okay with it now. “I love you, too.”

 

            Aaron arrives ten minutes late, and he comes alone. But that’s kind of okay, since the recital is late as well. Apparently one of the kids is having some kind of anxiety attack, and their parents were called backstage. Poor girl.

            Meanwhile, there’s a baby who doesn’t stop crying in the back. Even with everyone talking in the audience, they can all still hear them cry – Harry doesn’t know whether it’s a boy or a girl.

            “For fuck’s sake, won’t someone shut them up?” Aaron complains, looking at Jay who doesn’t even answer him.

            “And how do you suggest they do that? Put a hand on their mouth?” Harry answers angrily. He really didn’t want to say anything, but fuck. Nathan laughs. “It’s a _baby_. Maybe they’re hungry, maybe they’re in pain.”

           

            “He wouldn’t know anyways, it’s not like he was there for this.” Louis mocks. “Sorry, baby”, Louis then kisses Nate’s temple.

            “It’s okay, dad.” Nathan answers a bit sad and then kisses Louis on the cheek, moving to sit with Lottie and Tommy.

            “Fuck.” Louis sighs.

            “Hey, it’s all right. It’s all good.” Harry holds his hands and brings it up to his mouth to kiss his knuckles. Jay looks from her chair approvingly and shoots Harry a smile. Anne does the same. He feels his cheeks warm up a bit, but doesn’t have time to say anything, because the lights dim and a woman says they’re about to begin.

            Nathan comes back running and this time sits on Harry’s lap, excited to watch his sister.

 

            Amanda is perfect. Sure they’re all uncoordinated and dancing _“ballet”_ to Selena Gomez, but _Amanda is perfect_. Harry already knew, but now, more than ever, he thinks that he loves her. And her brother. Harry loves them as much as he loves Louis, and that is a lot of love.

            The thing is, Harry’s life took a spin in a really short amount of time.

            He went from being a media student living the life of a frat boy in Los Angeles to being a grown up executive with a multinational company in his hands. He went from fuckboy to family guy in _weeks_. He could barely notice he was changing until he got there. Here.

 

            There are a lot of people in his father’s apartment at this moment. _His_ apartment. Louis and Harry’s families are here together, talking over each other while sitting at the table having lunch together. Everyone has at least one thing in common.

            Anne and Jay have literally everything, and they hit it off from word go, making Robin sit in the middle and listen to it all. He even is obligated to give them an opinion, but then Louis rescues his boyfriend’s stepfather and talks to him about something else.

            Harry talks with Tommy about the new Meryl Streep movie and to Lottie about his company’s new make-up collection, and soon realizes the girl _really_ knows what she’s talking about.

            He offers her a position, and Lottie literally jumps on him, making everyone turn their heads and laugh. Mandy finds it funny and does the same, and one minute later Harry is on the floor with two children on top of him and his mother snapping a picture “for instagram”.

            Later, when he checks it out, Anne captions it with _serendipity_. And… Yes. Harry has to agree. Only good things can come from now on.

 

 

            “Remember when I told you I didn’t know if we were going to last?” Louis asks at night. The kids are asleep in a guest bedroom, and they’re in the tub, relaxing after a long, long day.

            “Hm…” Harry opens his eyes. He was dozing off, the lukewarm water doing wonders to his skin.

            “A month ago, I told you I didn’t know if we were going to last, but I was willing to give us a change. D’you remember that?” Louis asks him. He is soft, and his hair is pointing in every direction, and Harry doesn’t think he can love him any more than he does right now. (Spoiler alert: he can.)

            “Yes.”

            “I changed my mind.” Louis tells him.

            “You did?” Harry smiles lazily. Louis turns around and straddles him, playing with a loose strand of Harry’s curls.

            “I did. I think we are going to stay together for a long, long time.” He kisses him on the mouth, the sweet taste of chocolate mousse still lingers in his tongue, and Harry sucks on it until he tastes the same.

            “Forever?” Harry asks in his ear.

            Louis grinds down and lets his head fall forward, his forehead resting on Harry’s shoulder at the same time the CEO moans lowly.

            “Who knows...” Louis teases. “Think you’re going to have to stick around to find out.” He smiles and then bites Harry’s bottom lip.

            “I intend to.” Harry says and captures Louis mouth once again.

 

 

            One year later, in this very apartment, Harry proposes to him – he honest to God doesn’t know how he managed to wait this long.

            This is how it goes:

 

            “Can you believe the traffic was _actually_ good today?” Louis asks him.

            It’s around six pm in the afternoon, and Harry left work earlier to pick the kids up at school, because Louis had a meeting that was taking too long.

            They had a great afternoon. But then again, every day is great since they all moved in six months ago.

            For the first time this apartment really feels like _home_ to Harry.

            “That’s great, Lou.” Harry smiles and gets up from the couch to peck his lips, doing his best not to wrinkle his clothes. Louis doesn’t ask why he’s wearing Dolce&Gabbana at home; instead, he kisses him back and then asks, a bit louder:

            “Where are my children?”

            “COMING.” Amanda yells from upstairs and Louis gives Harry a funny look.

            A few seconds later, both Amanda and Nathan come down the stairs wearing very fancy clothes.

            “We got talking on the way home”, Harry starts explaining.  

            “About?” Louis questions, a bit suspicious.

            “Family.” Amanda says. “Remember when I told you that Michelle has two moms, dad?”

            Michelle is their friend from school. Louis simply nods.

            “Michelle’s moms got married.” Nathan tells him.

            “Oh. That’s great!” He smiles.

            “So. We got talking. On the way home.” Harry tells him, walking a bit closer. “About families. And marriage. And—”

            “And why aren’t you married?” Nathan asks.

            “I- because—I mean.” Louis opens and closes his mouth, but he doesn’t have an answer.

            “He asked me the same thing.” Harry chuckles. “I braked at a green light, and I’m a great driver. But, you see, it got me thinking… Every morning when I wake up, I think of how I get to spend another day with you. And that is just about the best feeling I could ever wish to have.”

            “Harry…” His boyfriend smiles, looks down at his children and then at him again. Realization hits Louis slowly, but when it does, he’s very, very surprised. “Harry… Wha-”

            “If I’ve learned anything since I met you, and Mandy and Nate, is that love is much more tangible than all the movies and fairy tales make it out to be.” He takes his hand.

            “Oh my God.” Louis whispers, his eyes filling with tears.

            “Love is learning it’s okay to share your food, have someone to cling to during horror movies, being able to sleep on another’s person shoulder on a long trip… Having a partner in crime.”

            The kids are quiet, but their smiles are threatening to split their faces in two as Harry gets to the end of his speech.

            “It’s selflessness, shelter, comfort, and above all… Trust. You taught me it all, Lou, and you’re—you’re literally the love of my life.”

            “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.” Louis hugs him tight, letting a few tears slip. Harry hugs him back, kissing his neck. “Are you really doing this? Tell me you’re really doing this!” He whispers.

            “’M not.” Harry says in his ear. “They are.”

            Then they part, Harry turns Louis to look at the kids.

            Nathan offers Louis a ring, and Mandy says:

            _“Will you marry our Hazz, dad?”_

 

            Down there, Manhattan is still a mess; confuse; chaotic, but up here, there is nothing but calmness, and harmony, and love.

            Two kids, a newly engaged couple, and forever ahead.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (If you're really curious about what happens with the rest of their lives, I'll tell you:
> 
> Aaron ends up moving to another state with his boyfriend, but nobody minds much. Harry adopts the kids right after they get married, and they ask him if they'll have more siblings in the future. One year and a half later they bring in a little boy called Daniel, and Amanda is delighted to know that she's still the only princess in the family.)
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/ifmelcouldfly) | [tumblr](http://downgoesanotherhero.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> As always, it'd be amazing if you could let me know what you think.
> 
> HAPPY NEW YEAR.  
> May 2017 be better for all of us!
> 
> Love, M.  
> Xx.


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